Mathura’s historic Hathi Tila claimed as Waqf Property, boundary wall demolished after attempt to establish graveyard
Authorities in Mathura removed a newly constructed boundary wall at Hathi Tila after a dispute over the land involving archaeological protection and a claimed Waqf graveyard.
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A fresh dispute over land at the historic Hathi Tila mound in Mathura has brought the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Mathura-Vrindavan Municipal Corporation, local administration and community groups face to face.
Boundary wall demolished by admistration, Hathi Tila (Image - Amar Ujala)
The dispute centres on a newly constructed boundary wall at the site in the Keshopur-Manoharpur area near Kishori Raman College. Authorities removed the wall on September 16 after officials reached the spot with police personnel and bulldozers. The Muslim side later removed the wall after officials made their position clear, according to local reports.
What is the dispute?
The main issue is who has the right to use and control the disputed land.
The ASI treats around five acres at Hathi Tila as protected archaeological property. The site is officially listed as an ancient mound near Kishori Raman College in Kesopur Menoharpur, Mathura.
🚨 BIG: Historic Hathi Tila in Mathura, associated with Kansa-era traditions, was CLAIMED as WAQF property & the MUSLIM side sought to establish a graveyard there.
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) September 17, 2026
After protests, authorities REMOVED the encroachment and DEMOLISHED the boundary wall. 🔥pic.twitter.com/MQOav1z7kW
The Muslim side, however, claims that parts of the land are recorded as kabristan and Waqf property, citing khasra numbers 628 and 629.
The ownership dispute is already before the court.
Why is Hathi Tila important?
Hathi Tila is an ancient habitation mound. It is locally associated with the tradition of Kansa's elephant stables, although this is a matter of local religious tradition rather than an established archaeological finding.
The site has archaeological importance. Limited excavations carried out during the 1973-77 Mathura excavations recovered Mauryan pottery from the lower layers. Government and archaeological records list Hathi Tila as a protected ancient mound.
Researchers have also noted that the larger Keshopur-Manoharpur archaeological area has faced damage from roads, cutting of the mound and burial activity. Academic documentation has described difficulties in protecting the archaeological deposit because of the surrounding land-use and ownership issues.
How did the latest dispute begin?
According to local reports, archaeology officials were informed on September 12 that a boundary wall was being constructed at Hathi Tila.
An initial team from the ASI and municipal corporation visited the location but did not take immediate action. The issue then intensified after local Hindu organisations objected to the construction.
On September 16, Additional Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Singh, City Magistrate Anupam Mishra, police personnel and bulldozers reached the site.
There was initially opposition from the Muslim side. The boundary wall was subsequently removed, with reports saying members of the Muslim side themselves dismantled it after officials made their position clear.
What do the authorities say?
Municipal officials have maintained that no fresh construction or occupation should take place on the disputed site while the ownership case is pending.
Officials had earlier indicated that repairs to damaged graves could be undertaken, but said this did not permit construction that could change the status or use of the disputed land.
What does the Muslim side say?
Representatives of the graveyard committee have given a different account.
They say municipal work had damaged graves at the site several months earlier and that officials had subsequently asked them to repair the damaged portions.
According to this version, the boundary work was connected to the restoration of the graveyard and was not an attempt to make a fresh claim over the archaeological mound.
A dispute that goes beyond one wall
The Hathi Tila issue is not new. Similar disputes concerning the mound and surrounding land have surfaced in previous years, including incidents reported in 2021 and 2023.
Archaeological studies have repeatedly highlighted the vulnerability of Mathura's ancient mounds to encroachment, construction, burial activity and physical damage. Hathi Tila is among the centrally protected ancient sites recorded in official archaeological lists.
For now, the immediate dispute over the new boundary wall has been settled by its removal. However, the larger ownership and land-use dispute remains before the court.