Indo-Nepal border encroachments

The Uttar Pradesh government has intensified its demolition drive targeting unauthorized religious structures within a 10-kilometer radius of the Indo-Nepal border. As of Thursday, a total of 429 such structures have been razed. These include illegally constructed madrasas, mosques, Eidgahs, and other religious buildings found on forest or government land without approval or documentation. The action is being taken under a state-wide directive to reclaim government land, with special attention to border zones deemed sensitive from a security standpoint. Security and Surveillance Measures Strengthened Officials have identified 236 additional illegal structures under review across seven border districts: Shravasti, Maharajganj, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Pilibhit. The administration is concerned that many of these structures may have received unregulated foreign funding and could be linked to radical elements or used for anti-national activities in vulnerable regions. To monitor and verify the locations and activities, the state has deployed high-tech tools, including satellite imagery and drone surveillance. These are being used in coordination with local police and intelligence agencies to map encroachments and assess organizational links. Government Clarifies It Is a Legal Action, Not Religious Targeting A senior government official stated that the campaign is not aimed at any specific community or religion but is focused on enforcing the rule of law and maintaining national security in sensitive border areas. “No structure—religious or otherwise—will be allowed to stand illegally, especially in a border-sensitive area,” the official clarified. Authorities emphasized that legal religious institutions with proper documentation and land ownership would remain untouched. The action, they said, is targeted solely at unlawful constructions on public land. Political and Public Reactions to the Drive While the move has been welcomed by security experts and administrative officials concerned about national integrity and encroachment, sections of the opposition have criticized the timing and scale of the operation, accusing the state government of selectively implementing the law. Nonetheless, the state has remained firm in its approach, citing the need to secure India's porous northern border with Nepal and ensure no illegal establishment can be exploited for cross-border movement or ideological subversion. The demolition drive is ongoing, and further action is expected in the coming weeks as ground reports and drone surveillance data continue to feed into district-level enforcement plans.

UP Demolishes 429 Illegal Religious Structures Near Nepal Border

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