Haldwani, June 21 -- The district administration, police and irrigation department on Saturday demolished a mazar allegedly built on encroached irrigation department land near Nanak Sagar in Nanakmatta of Udham Singh Nagar district, officials said. The demolition drive was carried out after the irrigation department sought assistance from the district administration. Additional district magistrate (ADM) Pankaj Upadhyay said the shrine was located on land belonging to the irrigation department. About a month ago, its caretakers were asked to furnish documents establishing ownership or legal rights over the land, he said. "However, they failed to provide any valid documents. Following verification and on the directions of district magistrate Nitin Bhadouria, the structure was treated as an encroachment on government land," Upadhyay said. A joint team of the irrigation department, district administration and police, backed by a heavy police force, reached the site early on Saturday and demolished the structure using earthmovers, he added. "No human remains or graves were found beneath the demolished structure. Senior authorities have been informed and the drive against encroachments on government land will continue," the ADM said. According to officials, more than 12,000 acres of government land have been freed from encroachment across Uttarakhand so far. They said 593 mazars and 42 other unauthorised religious structures allegedly built on encroached government land have been removed during the ongoing campaign....