India demolishes property in Muslim-majority district
Authorities demolish waqf-linked building in crowded Muslim neighborhood as residents fear growing displacement campaign
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Authorities in the northern Indian city of Varanasi carried out another major demolition drive in a densely populated Muslim neighborhood on Monday, intensifying fears among residents who say repeated bulldozer operations are displacing Muslim families and destroying livelihoods.
The latest action took place in Dalmandi, a historic Muslim-majority commercial area in Varanasi, where officials demolished a waqf-linked building known locally as “Musafir Khana,” a traditional travelers’ lodge historically used by visitors and low-income pilgrims for temporary accommodation.
Local groups said the demolition would particularly affect poor travelers who relied on such facilities for affordable shelter in the crowded religious city.
Residents said the area witnessed a massive security deployment from early morning, with police, paramilitary personnel and administrative officials sealing narrow market lanes as demolition teams moved in with heavy machinery.
According to local residents, hundreds of structures have already been demolished in Dalmandi in recent years, leaving thousands of Muslim families displaced and many small traders struggling to survive economically.
Officials said the demolition was being carried out after completing “all legal procedures” and issuing notices in advance.
Atul Anjan Tripathi, assistant commissioner of police for the Dashashwamedh area, said the building belonged to waqf authorities and that sufficient time had been provided before the operation began.
Authorities also barricaded parts of the neighborhood and deployed drones for aerial surveillance during the operation, while more than 300 personnel from police, paramilitary forces and government departments were stationed in the area, according to officials.
Excavators and workers were seen tearing down parts of the structure as security forces restricted movement through the crowded market district.
The demolition comes amid growing controversy over the use of bulldozer operations in BJP-ruled states, where Muslim homes, shops and religious properties have frequently been targeted under drives framed as anti-encroachment or redevelopment campaigns.
Civil rights advocates and Muslim groups have repeatedly accused authorities of disproportionately targeting Muslim neighborhoods and using demolitions as a form of collective punishment and intimidation.
Varanasi, represented in parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has witnessed multiple redevelopment and demolition projects in recent years around its old city areas, including neighborhoods with large Muslim populations.
Officials from the public works department said demolition work in Dalmandi had continued over the past two days and would proceed under heavy security arrangements.
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