Graveyard razed in UP’s Sambhal during anti-encroachment drive, locals protest

On Monday, a Muslim graveyard in Alam Sarai village, located in the Mandi Kishan Das area of Sambhal tehsil, Uttar Pradesh, was demolished during an anti-encroachment operation.

The district administration, backed by a large police force, used bulldozers to remove graves, fencing, and boundary markers—actions that have drawn criticism from local residents.

While villagers maintain that the cemetery had been in use for decades, officials claim the land belongs to the government and that it was designated as a graveyard using illegitimate documents. Authorities allege the paperwork marking the site as a burial ground was falsified.

Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh, who oversaw the operation, told Clarion India that an inquiry was conducted following a complaint. “Both sides were heard, and it was found that the graveyard had been constructed on government land without authorization,” he was quoted as saying.

Officials added that a report on the demolition will be submitted to the district magistrate, and legal proceedings will be initiated against those accused of forging documents.

Though residents have voiced disappointment over the sudden removal of the burial ground, no formal objections have been publicly filed so far by those opposing the action.