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Bahraich admin demolishes 10 mazaars built on ‘govt’ land near medical college

Locals protest the action which came after a complaint was filed by the college administration

2 min readLucknowJan 20, 2026 04:48 AM IST

District administration demolishes 10 unauthorised mazaars on government land near Bahraich medical college after complaint, amid local protests. (File photo for representation)

The district administration on Monday demolished 10 mazaars (shrines) allegedly constructed on government land located adjacent to the Maharaja Suheldev Autonomous State Medical College in Bahraich.

Officials said the action was taken after a complaint was filed by the medical college administration, claiming the structures were unauthorised and encroached upon public land.

On Monday, a joint team of the district administration and police reached the site and carried out the demolition amid protests by local people. Officials said while several structures were removed by the authorities, some of the mazaars were voluntarily dismantled by their caretakers and others themselves.

Bahraich City Magistrate Rajesh Prasad said the issue was pending since 2002, when the district administration had ordered the removal of the mazaars. But the order could not be implemented as the parties concerned challenged it in the district magistrate’s court.

Prasad said in 2004, the district magistrate had stayed the city magistrate’s order and directed compliance with further legal procedures. The matter was later taken to the commissioner’s court, but the petitioners did not get any relief.

He added that after the commissioner’s court passed its final order in 2019, no immediate action was taken as the parties concerned had assured the administration that they would remove the structures within two days. Despite the assurance, the mazaars were not removed, he added.

Prasad said that the medical college s was constructed in 2018 near the site where the mazaars were located. He added that on January 10, the medical college submitted a complaint to the district administration alleging the people managing the mazaars had encroached upon more government land and continued to expand the structures.

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Following the complaint, revenue records were examined, after which notices were issued directing the removal of the mazaars by January 17, Prasad said.

The notices, he added, clearly stated that if the structures were not removed voluntarily within the deadline, the administration would carry out the demolition on January 19, he said.

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