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Sambhal: Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal on Friday, June 5, razed an “illegal” shrine following an order by the revenue authorities, officials said.

The shrine was located in Baghaun village of Gunnour tehsil and was known as ‘Khere Wale Baba Chaman Shah Baba Dargah Sharif’.

District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal said local villager Aziz was booked in connection with the shrine allegedly built on government land.

“The case was related to encroachment on public land. The tehsildar’s court found the construction illegal. The matter was later appealed before the district magistrate’s court, where the party was asked to present evidence, but no evidence could be produced,” Khandelwal told reporters.

SDM claims shrine built 5 years ago

According to officials, a revenue official had found Aziz in possession of around 24 square metres of land where the shrine stood.

Gunnour Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vikas Chandra said the shrine was constructed around five years ago. After the tehsildar’s court passed an eviction order, an appeal was filed before the district magistrate’s court, which was rejected.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishan Kumar Bishnoi said the structure was a religious site.

“The government had issued directions to free government land under the land bank concept. So far, around 100 hectares of land have been freed from encroachment in the district,” he said.

Force from four police stations was deployed at the spot during the action, he added.

Meanwhile, Aziz, the shrine caretaker, claimed that the place was 500-600 years old and was dedicated to a saint.