India: Reports of Over 10 Mosques Demolished, 1,100 Muslim Families Displaced in Assam

India: Reports of Over 10 Mosques Demolished, 1,100 Muslim Families Displaced in Assam
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Demolition and eviction drives in India’s Assam state have raised concerns among Muslim communities following reports that more than 10 mosques were demolished and over 1,100 Muslim families displaced. Separately, parts of a mosque and an Islamic school in Uttar Pradesh are facing possible removal following a government land investigation.

According to Indian newspaper Scroll, demolition operations were carried out on October 17 and 18, 2026, in the districts of Nagaon, Hojai and Golaghat, affecting areas inhabited by Bengali-speaking Muslim families. Residents reported that several mosques, some more than 50 years old, were among the structures demolished. The exact number of mosques affected has not been independently verified, although the All Assam Minorities Students’ Union confirmed that several were removed.

Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah denied that Muslims were being specifically targeted, saying the operations were aimed at clearing encroachments on protected land and had followed legal procedures and prior notices.