The district administration demolished an illegal mazar constructed by Islamists on government land in the Piran Kaliyar Nagar Panchayat area. The demolition comes two weeks after officials issued a formal notice demanding that those behind the construction produce ownership documents none of which were provided.
District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said the structure was part of an Islamists organised attempt to illegally occupy several acres of public land, prompting swift administrative intervention. “The encroachers were unable to furnish any land documents. The government land will now be used exclusively for public welfare projects,” he stated.
A combined team of civil officials and police personnel reached the site early in the day and brought down the structure using earth-moving machinery. The operation remained peaceful, officials confirmed.
The demolition forms part of the Uttarakhand government’s ongoing, high-intensity campaign targeting illegal religious encroachments, popularly referred to by officials as action against shrine encroachment networks.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has repeatedly stressed that the state will firmly protect Uttarakhand’s religious and cultural character, warning that any attempt to alter or encroach upon government land under the guise of religious structures will invite strict action.
According to official data, 576 illegal mazars across the state have been demolished so far under this drive.
The Piran Kaliyar region, a sensitive zone due to recurring disputes over unauthorised structures, has seen a series of enforcement actions in recent months. Officials said that multiple illegal constructions irrespective of religious affiliation are being surveyed, flagged, and removed in phases.
“This operation is part of a larger effort to restore government land and prevent its misuse. No illegal construction will be spared,” a senior officer involved in the drive said.
