200-year-old well found at site of demolished Saharanpur mosque
Bricks dated 1909 recovered, locals question demolition timing
Lucknow: A 200 to 250-year-old well has been discovered at the site of the historical mosque demolished by the BJP government in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, disputing claims of Hindutva groups about the structure’s age.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the BJP government demolished the mosque on September 5 in the Saharanpur area of the state. A video from the site showed the dated bricks amid the rubble.
The mosque was demolished on a complaint filed by Hindutva Bajrang Dal member Vikas Tyagi. Local Muslims gathered to collect bricks and relics, with some taking them home or burying them as keepsakes. Video footage also showed damaged religious books, torn pages of the Holy Quran, prayer mats and an imam’s clothing mixed in the debris.
Residents expressed grief, saying authorities failed to inform the community in advance and accused officials of acting “like thieves” by demolishing the mosque at night. Separately, an ASI team examined a nearly 20-foot-deep well uncovered during debris clearance. Based on brickwork and construction methods, officials estimated the well to be 200–250 years old suggesting the site has been a Muslim place of worship since the 18th century — much older than the 1909 bricks. The discovery counters the Hindutva claim used to justify demolition that the mosque was “recent” or “unauthorized”.
