A Muslim graveyard located in the Sambhal tehsil in Uttar Pradesh, India,  was completely levelled by bulldozers as part of an ongoing drive to dismantle Muslim properties in the name of “encroachments”.  The action, carried out by the district administration, has sparked questions and concern from Muslim community members. A large number of police force was present at the site while the bulldozers tore down graves, boundary wires and fencing around the cemetery, which locals said had existed for many years. 

Officials claimed that the graveyard stood on barren government land and was marked without any formal approval. The administration stated that the land had been illegally registered as a cemetery through fraudulent documents. The incident adds to a series of recent actions under the Yogi Adityanath Yogi-led government in Uttar Pradesh, which has targeted Muslim religious sites such as mosques, madrasas, mazars, Eidgahs, and now graveyards.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)