– Mohd.Naushad Khan
The Allahabad High Court has stepped in to protect Azad Jannat Nisha School in Alam Sarai, Sambhal. The school faced alleged harassment and dispossession attempts by local officials and private parties. Backed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), the school’s legal team secured a court assurance. The State agreed that no demolition or action would occur without proper legal procedure.
The issue began when Mohammad Shahvez Alam, the school’s manager, filed Civil Suit No. 363/2025. He claimed the land was purchased by his father in 1979 through a registered sale deed. The school had operated peacefully for decades.
Trouble started on 13 January 2025. That day, the DM, SDM, police, and others came to the school with claimants who alleged ownership. Alam said they issued threats but showed no legal documents.
According to Alam, the harassment continued until May. On 15 May 2025, authorities allegedly demolished parts of the school. This included its gate and classrooms, causing damages worth ₹30 lakhs. He also said that the path leading to the school was occupied. Local police reportedly refused to take action.
The situation escalated after communal tensions rose in Sambhal post-November 2024 violence. Media reports blamed Hindutva groups and BJP-led officials for targeting Muslim properties. Many Muslims were portrayed as land encroachers.
In June, Alam approached APCR for help. APCR provided legal aid through advocates Ghazala Bano and Maseeh Uddin. The case went before a Division Bench of Justices Siddhartha Varma and Harvir Singh.
The State denied any demolition plan and gave assurance in court. They promised no action would happen without legal process. The Court then disposed of the petition, recording the assurance.
The case — Azad Jannat Nisha School vs State of U.P. and Others (WRIT-C No. 19551/2025) — now stands as a key example of defending schools from illegal state action.
