Officials demolish four UP mazars over ‘illegal construction’

Four “illegal” mazars, including the prominent Lakkar Shah Baba mazar, located in the core area of the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, were demolished, an official said on Monday, June 9.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) B Shivshanker told reporters that the action was taken the previous day under provisions of



the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

“The shrines of Lakkar Shah, Bhawar Shah, Chaman Shah, and Shahn Shah were situated in beat number 20 of the Murtiha Range. These mazars lie within forest land. Though the mazar committee submitted a copy of a 1986 Waqf Board registration, they failed to provide any legal evidence of ownership or land rights,” he said.