Special Correspondent: A nearly 200-year-old mosque, known as Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque, was demolished by the administration in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi. The demolition took place late on the night of June 2 in the Rajghat area of the city, where construction work for the railway station redevelopment project is underway. Authorities deployed a heavy police force and sealed off the surrounding area before the operation began.

Officials said approximately 1,000 police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the operation. Senior officers, including DCP Kashi Gaurav Bansal, ADCP Vaibhav Bangar and ACP Shivhari Meena, were present at the site.

After the structure was demolished, authorities immediately began removing the debris using trucks and other vehicles. The work continued through the night to prevent crowds from gathering and to avoid any disturbance in the area. Members of the local Muslim community said the Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque and adjoining graveyard had existed for nearly two centuries and were closely linked to the religious life of the area.

According to locals, the mosque had served as a place of worship for generations. The mosque’s mutawalli, Shamim Ustad, who oversaw its affairs for many years, passed away a few months ago. Community members said the mosque and graveyard held historical and religious significance and had remained an important landmark in the locality.

The administration and railway authorities maintain that the land on which the mosque and graveyard stood belongs to the railways. Officials said government records identify the site as railway property. According to the administration, a shrine originally existed at the location and, over time, additional structures, including the mosque and graveyard, expanded on the land.