Durgah demolition: Tension in Belagavi’s Ullagaddi Khanapur village

Tension prevailed for a few hours as huge crowd gathered at Ullagaddi Khanapur in Belagavi district, while authorities began demolishing a durgah on Saturday night (February 1, 2025.)

Officers tasked with widening the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, demolished the Syed Gulab Shah Wali durgah that was allegedly built on encroached land.

Huge crowd gathered at the work site and opposed the demolition of the structure. However, the work was completed with the police protection. Community leaders Syed Salim Shah, Syed Ahmed, Yusuf Patel, Ajmal Sheikh and others criticised the demolition.

Syed Ahmed said no authorities had issued any notice to the durgah committee against alleged encroachment. Officers however, maintained that due process was followed.