KAIRANA (Uttar Pradesh), Sept 5: Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha MP Iqra Hasan was placed under house arrest at her Kairana residence on Friday night, shortly before she planned to travel to Saharanpur over the demolition of a mosque at the District Magistrate’s office complex.
Hasan alleged that a large police contingent was stationed outside her residence overnight and stopped her from leaving for Saharanpur, where she intended to meet officials and raise concerns related to the mosque on behalf of people in her constituency.
She questioned the administration’s decision, asking whether an elected representative could be prevented from meeting government officials over an issue involving her constituents.
Hasan said public representatives are elected to voice the concerns of citizens and alleged that restricting her movement amounted to suppressing that voice.
The development coincided with the beginning of demolition work at the disputed structure inside the Saharanpur Collectorate complex. The action followed a September 4 decision by the District Judge’s court dismissing an appeal filed by the mosque committee and upholding an earlier order issued by the City Magistrate.
Saharanpur DIG Abhishek Singh said the City Magistrate’s court had determined that the structure was illegally built on government land. He said the mosque committee challenged the decision before the appellate court, but the appeal was rejected.
According to the DIG, authorities deployed additional security personnel in the district as demolition activity coincided with ongoing festivals and heightened law-and-order requirements.
Five additional companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary and Rapid Action Force were deployed at strategic locations and identified hotspots, Singh said.
Authorities also increased monitoring of social media platforms to prevent rumours and misinformation from spreading. The DIG said preventive measures had been implemented in sensitive areas and maintained that the demolition was being carried out in accordance with legal procedures.
The demolition was expected to be completed within one to two hours, according to the police official.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Imran Masood opposed the action and claimed that the mosque had existed since before 1911. He also alleged that records concerning the property remained in the names of Wahid Khan and Yaqub Khan.
Masood claimed that efforts were made throughout the night to contact officials and provide relevant documents. Criticising the demolition, he alleged that constitutional principles had been disregarded.
He further claimed that the Waqf Board had not been included as a party in the proceedings and said the matter would be challenged through legal channels.
The dispute dates back to July 17, when the City Magistrate ordered the removal of the structure and imposed compensation of around Rs 6.41 crore over alleged encroachment and misuse of government land.
The complaint was filed by Vikas Tyagi, a former provincial coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, who alleged that the mosque had been constructed within the sensitive premises of the District Magistrate’s office.
The administration had cited security and confidentiality concerns connected with the functioning of the government complex.
Following the dismissal of the appeal, security was strengthened around the Collectorate, while gates to the complex were closed as a precautionary measure.
The incident has since triggered political criticism, with opposition leaders questioning the demolition and the restrictions imposed on Hasan, while authorities have maintained that the action followed judicial orders and established legal procedures.