In a significant directive, the Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday ordered the district administration of Udham Singh Nagar to halt all traffic movement at the site of a demolished mazaar on the National Highway. The court’s decision came while hearing a plea regarding the demolition of the ‘mazaar’ of Syed Masoom Shah Mian and Sajjad Mian, which is located near Indira Chowk in Rudrapur.
The plea was filed by Waqf Allah Tala who argued that the local administration employed a bulldozer to demolish the site in the early hours of Monday. During the hearing, which also saw the participation of the District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police through an online platform, concerns about the sudden demolition were raised.
The District Magistrate clarified in the court that the demolished structure was named Hazrat Masoom Shah Dargah and insisted that it was not on Waqf land. “The authority had previously issued a notice for the demolition of this tomb on February 10, followed by a second notice before proceeding with the demolition,” the District Magistrate stated. He further assured that compensation had been provided in accordance with the laws governing land acquisition.
Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, presiding over the hearing, requested the petitioner’s counsel to submit comprehensive details including names, Aadhaar cards, photos, emails, and phone numbers of two individuals responsible for relocating the soil from the dargah. The court has ordered the petitioner to submit an affidavit within 24 hours to confirm the new location of the soil.
