GUWAHATIThe local authorities in Arunachal Pradesh sealed unauthorised mosques across the Itanagar Capital Region on Thursday (June 4, 2026), more than three months after serving the first notice to those operating these religious structures.In an official letter to the State’s Principal Secretary (Home), Capital Deputy Commissioner Toko Babu said the issue of unauthorised operation of “Jama Masjids/mosques” within the Itanagar Capital Region was taken up after the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation submitted a memorandum on January 13.The Itanagar Capital Region covers a 30-km stretch from Banderdewa, a major entry point on the Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border, to Itanagar, the State’s capital.Mr Babu said that the Itanagar Assistant Commissioner initiated verification of the legal status of the religious institutions concerned after receiving the memorandum. The office-bearers and religious functionaries of these institutions were directed to “produce documents relating to registration, land ownership, building permissions, and other statutory clearances required for the lawful establishment and operation” of such structures.He said that the masjid authorities were ordered on January 30 to submit supporting documents within a stipulated period. The mosque functionaries failed to furnish such documents.Another notice was served to these functionaries on May 28, asking them to obtain registrations, building permits, development permissions, and other statutory clearances. They were also ordered to stop all ongoing construction and suspend religious activities within the premises until they complied with the directions.“The concerned institutions failed to comply with the notice. Subsequently the unauthorised mosques were sealed as per the timeframe mentioned in the notices, in the presence of police personnel, following due process of law,” Assistant Commissioner Tamo Dada said.The officials did not specify how many mosques and associated religious structures were sealed. Published - June 04, 2026 11:10 pm IST