UP govt crackdown on illegal madrasas, encroachments in full swing

Acting on the directives of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, joint teams from the revenue and police departments have launched coordinated operations to identify and remove encroachments, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement issued on Wednesday. The operations are part of a large-scale administrative campaign underway across several U.P. districts bordering Nepal, targeting illegal madrasas, mosques, and other unauthorised religious structures.

“Unrecognised and non-compliant madrasas are being sealed, while unauthorised religious structures set up on government land are being demolished as per legal protocols. So far, action has been taken against hundreds of illegal constructions, and the campaign remains in full swing,” the statement said.

On Wednesday, four unrecognised and illegally operating madrasas were sealed in Shravasti district. Additionally, several temporary and permanent encroachments within 15km radius of Nepal border were removed. To date, 36 illegal madrasas have been sealed, and 131 encroachments demolished. Notably, a mosque in Bhartha village in Roshangarh under Bhinga tehsil was also razed as it was constructed on government land, the statement said.

In Pilibhit district, a special drive was carried out within 10km of Nepal border to remove encroachments on public land. The operation, led by the additional district magistrate and additional superintendent of police, found no objectionable material, but confirmed the presence of encroachments, according to the statement.

In Maharajganj district, enforcement action has been taken against 13 illegal madrasas and mosques in Nautanwa tehsil. Additional demolitions targeted six illegal encroachments in Nichlaul and 14 in Farenda tehsil.

In Lakhimpur Kheri, specifically in the border tehsils of Nighasan and Palia, demolition drives were carried out against an illegal mosque in Krishnanagar and an eidgah in Chandan Chowki, with coordination between police and revenue officials, the statement said.

In Balrampur district, an illegally occupied madrasa has been vacated, and notices have been served on five others. Encroachments on two tombs have been removed, while notices have been issued to five more. Overall, 13 illegal encroachments have been identified, and action has been taken against three, according to the statement.

A case involving an unauthorised eidgah is also being processed. Investigations have revealed 20 madrasas failing to meet the required standards or curricula, all of which have been shut down. Additionally, two madrasas have been issued notices for failing to submit necessary documentation despite prior warnings, the statement said.

In Bahraich, five encroachments were removed on Wednesday in Nanpara and Mihipurwa tehsils. So far, 127 illegal constructions have been demolished in the district. Based on a report by the minority welfare officer, a madrasa was sealed on Wednesday, bringing the total number of sealed madrasas in the district to six, according to the statement.

In Siddharthnagar, action was taken on Wednesday against one illegal encroachment. So far, 17 such cases, including three mosques and four madrasas, have been addressed in the district, the statement said.