*local administration in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has defied anorder from the state high court and subsequently bulldozed a mosque – whichis seen as one of the most inflammatory actions against a Muslim place ofworship since the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992.*

The mosque was situated in the city of Ram Sanehi in Uttar Pradesh, and hadstood for over six decades.

On Monday, police and security services evacuated people from the area,after which the mosque was demolished and the debris was disposed of in anearby river.

Reportedly, security services have been deployed, barring civilians fromcoming within a mile of the site of the demolished mosque.

The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is controlled by the Bharatiya JanataParty (BJP), and the state’s Chief Minister Yogi Aditiyanath is a hardlineHindu nationalist who has frequently referred to Muslims as terrorists andpassed openly discriminatory legislation against them.

Adarsh Singh, a local district magistrate stated that “I do not know anymosque. I know there was an illegal structure. The Uttar Pradesh high courtdeclared it illegal. That’s why the regional senior district magistratetook action. I will not say anything else”.

The demolition was in violation of a high court order issued on the 24th ofApril, which stated that buildings should be protected from any eviction ordemolition orders until the 31st of May, “in the wake of the upsurge of thepandemic”.