The six illegal Mazars at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, have been declared “unclaimed”. After the 15-day ultimatum expired and nobody came forward to claim the Mazars, the authorities are taking action to demolish them.
The KGMU administration issued two notices, demanding documentation in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines. However, no Muslim organisation or individual produced any valid documents. Consequently, these Mazars will now be relocated to a cemetery.
The KGMU administration has sent a report to the registrar, authorising the removal of all the shrines with bulldozers. The varsity administration has also sought police reinforcements to ensure a seamless demolition process. KGMU spokesperson Professor KK Singh stated that only one Mazar’s manager responded to the notice; however, he too failed to produce valid documents.
KGMU’s investigation committee found that all six Mazars were built on encroached land and pose obstacles to the movement of patients visiting the hospital. The investigation was launched in September 2024, and the Supreme Court issued guidelines to ensure the safety of female healthcare workers in the wake of the rape and murder of a female resident doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
A total of eight shrines were identified during the inspection, including the Dargah of Shahmina Sahib and the Mazar of Harmain Sahib, along with six other shrines. Of these eight mazars, six have been declared unnamed after the KGMU committee’s three attempts to allow claimants to come forward and submit valid documents.
In April this year, chaos erupted when a Muslim mob attacked police officers and doctors with stones while protesting the removal of an illegal Mazar in KGMU premises.
