Overview
- Railway officials affixed a notice to the Ganj Shaheeda mosque at Kashi Railway Station that directs the premises to be vacated by June 20 as part of a station expansion plan.
- The mosque’s managing body, the Intajamia Masjid Committee, has declared the notice illegal because it lacks a date, signature and railway logo and has said it will challenge the order in court.
- Railways station superintendent Arpit Gupta says the notice was issued following prescribed procedure and that joint anti-encroachment drives have already removed a Hanuman temple and the Ajmer Shaheed mosque near Rajghat.
- Local officials also razed a mosque in Ber Khera that they said stood on gram sabha land and sent police and revenue teams to enforce the removal, increasing security measures in affected areas.
- Community leaders met the district magistrate on Thursday to protest the Kashi notice and were told the matter would be discussed with railway authorities and that no immediate demolition would take place pending talks and legal steps.