Varanasi Administration Demolishes Mosque Built On Encroached Railway Land

Varanasi: In Varanasi, the administration demolished the nearly 200-year-old 'Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque' and the adjacent mosque in the Rajghat area on Tuesday as part of a land clearance drive for the proposed Kashi Model Railway Station project.

Where was the mosque located?

About 200-year-old mosque was demolished in the overnight operation on Tuesday in Varanasi. The Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque was located near Rajghat, where a new model station is to be built. 

What did the police say?

Prior to this, Joint Commissioner of Police Shiv Hari Meena, along with officers, visited the site and inspected the mosque. Barricades were erected around the mosque, and three bulldozers were called to the site. 

Shiv Hari Meena said that five JCB machines and two Pokland excavators were used in the demolition process.

Hundreds of police and PAC personnel were deployed at the site. DCP Kashi Gaurav Banswal, ADCP Vaibhav Bangar, ACP Vijay Pratap, Kotwali ACP Chetganj, and several other officers were also present. 

The mosque's debris was loaded into vehicles and removed overnight. The case regarding the demolition of the tomb and mosque had been pending in court for the past two years.

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: A mosque built on railway land was demolished late at night as part of work linked to the redevelopment of Kashi Railway Station. pic.twitter.com/ZV0r1ybqy3

— IANS (@ians_india) June 3, 2026

What is the case?

TheAjgaib Shaheed Mosque, and a graveyard are located in the Kila Kohna area of ​​Bhadau Chungi in Varanasi. The Muslim side claimed that the mosque dates back hundreds of years. Meanwhile, the administration maintains that this is former railway land that was encroached upon by some individuals by building a tomb. Subsequently, a mosque and a graveyard were also built there. 

What did the court say?

When the Kashi Model Railway Station was planned in 2024, the land was measured. Illegal occupation was discovered, prompting the Railways to order its eviction. The matter even reached court, where the shrine's supporters recently lost the case. Following this, the Railways issued a notice to vacate the land, but it was not followed. Today, the administration took action to demolish the shrine and mosque.