India: Demolition of Seven Mosques in September Raises Concerns over Islamic Heritage

India: Demolition of Seven Mosques in September Raises Concerns over Islamic Heritage
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Two mosques were completely demolished and five others partially demolished across India in September 2026, according to a report by the Islamophobia Observatory, renewing concerns over the protection of Muslim places of worship and historic religious sites.

The report, titled Mosques Under Attack in India, attributed the demolitions to issues including land disputes, administrative decisions and road-widening projects. It said five of the affected mosques had historical significance, with some dating back several centuries.

The observatory also documented eight other cases involving eviction notices, financial penalties, construction restrictions and land disputes. Seven occurred in Uttar Pradesh and one in Maharashtra.

The report noted that its findings were based on publicly available media reports and did not constitute a comprehensive record of all such incidents in India.

It called for independent investigations and stronger legal safeguards to protect places of worship and historic religious sites from demolition or damage without clear legal justification.