The district administration in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Friday, July 17, carried out a demolition drive against illegal encroachments on government land.
The drive was carried out in the Hazratnagar Garhi police station limits, IANS reported.
Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh: The district administration carried out a demolition drive against illegal encroachments on government land in the Hazratnagar Garhi police station area pic.twitter.com/0xjC6spThD
— IANS (@ians_india) July 17, 2026
According to reports, the bulldozer action was carried out against an allegedly illegal Eidgah and mosque built on a 312-square-meter plot of land. The matter, which was pending before the Tehsildar’s court, was cleared as it ordered to remove it.
Speaking about the matter, District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal said, “This is barren land… it had been encroached upon through the construction… Following a hearing at the Tehsildar’s court, an order for the removal of the encroachment was issued, and that order is being enforced today. We intend to put this reclaimed village land to good use by allocating it to landless families within the village, enabling those still living below the poverty line to lead dignified lives.”
The senior official noted that no specific encroacher came forward during the demolition drive, while an investigation is being carried out to identify who carried out the encroachment.
“The construction is estimated to be around five years old, though further investigation is required to confirm the details… The government has long held a clear policy to remove encroachments from public land and resettle the landless. While there is no immediate plan to include these specific individuals in that particular program, the process of reclaiming land and resettling the landless is ongoing and will continue…all encroachers should voluntarily remove their encroachments. Otherwise, if they are removed through administrative action, legal proceedings will also be initiated against them,” ANI quoted Khandelwal as saying.
#WATCH | Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh: DM Ankit Khandelwal says, “This is barren land…it had been encroached upon through the construction…following a hearing at the Tehsildar’s court, an order for the removal of the encroachment was issued, and that order is being enforced today. We… pic.twitter.com/kVj3O7SPd2
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2026
Superintendent of Police KK Bishnoi stated that action against illegal encroachments had been underway for the past year and a half regarding the Land Bank initiative in Sambhal.
“This involves several hundred hectares of land. It has been cleared of illegal encroachments, and legal cases have been registered against those involved… Wherever the police and administration receive information about such encroachments, we conduct on-site verifications and subsequently take action. Cases are being registered against the encroachers, and investigations are being carried out… There is complete peace in the district,” Bishnoi said.
The police official noted that there were no law and order issues, and the rule of law is being observed by everyone.
“Financial penalties have been imposed on the encroachers, and we have taken action against any government officials found to be complicit, sparing no one,” he added.