Bulldozers demolish part of 59-year-old madrasa in Uttar Pradesh; police clash with SP protesters

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district ran bulldozers over a 59-year-old madrasa on Tuesday, saying it had encroached on government land, as police clashed briefly with opposition Samajwadi Party workers who arrived to protest the action.

The demolition began at about 7 a.m. in Pipra Ramlal village in the district, with six bulldozers and about 100 police personnel deployed from five police stations, according to local officials.

The madrasa, identified by authorities and local residents as Arabia Zia-ul-Uloom, occupied about 14,000 square feet. Officials said 9,000 square feet of the site was recorded in government documents as a playground.

Within about two hours, seven rooms, a shop and roughly half of the madrasa’s main hall had been demolished, officials said.

The action followed a legal dispute over the land. Five villagers filed a petition before the Domariyaganj tehsildar’s court in 2022 seeking removal of what they described as an encroachment on government land. An eviction order was issued in 2023.

Madrasa caretaker Abdul Salam challenged the order before the district magistrate’s court. The court upheld the eviction order on Aug. 14 and dismissed the madrasa’s petition, according to the administration.

Authorities subsequently issued a notice giving the madrasa time to remove the alleged encroachment. The demolition began after the deadline expired, officials said.

Domariyaganj Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vivekanand Mishra, Domariyaganj Circle Officer Brijesh Verma and Bansi Circle Officer Shivendu Singh were present during the operation.

Local residents said the madrasa was established in the village in 1938 and moved to its present location on the Bansi-Domariyaganj road in 1967. It was initially built on private land but was later expanded onto vacant government land, according to officials.

About 400 children were studying at the madrasa, residents said.

SP workers protest

Domariyaganj Samajwadi Party legislator Sayyada Khatoon, party district president Lalji Yadav and more than 50 party workers arrived after learning of the demolition and demanded that the operation be stopped.

An argument broke out when police prevented the protesters from approaching the site, followed by a brief scuffle, according to witnesses and police. Officers later erected barricades and moved the protesters away from the demolition area.

During the confrontation, SP leader Kamal Ahmed Khan attempted to move towards the madrasa but was stopped by Domariyaganj police station inspector Shri Prakash Yadav.

Police told the protesters that the demolition was an administrative action being carried out under official orders and asked them not to obstruct the operation. The exchange became heated before other officers intervened.

Khatoon appealed to party workers to remain calm and resolve the matter peacefully.

The area remained tense for about half an hour before the situation was brought under control. No serious injuries were reported in the account provided by local authorities.