Security has been increased in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, where protests erupted against the proposed demolition of a portion of a mosque for a road-widening project.
The police lathi-charged the protesters and used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The protests were carried out against a move to demolish a portion of the Shahi Masjid for road-widening work in preparation for the Simhastha Kumbh mela.
According to reports, a road from Kanthal crossing to Gopal Mandir is being widened to 15 metres ahead of the mela in 2028. The project involves widening a roughly 900-metre stretch and removal or modification of structures falling within the proposed alignment.
Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma said some people attempted to create a disturbance in the region, which persuaded the force to 'use mild force to disperse them'. He claimed that the local mosque committee had agreed to the demolition and that the protests were carried out by 'one group'.
“As you are aware, the Muslim community and the mosque committee themselves, with full consensus and cooperation, and keeping the upcoming Simhastha 2028 in mind, are demolishing the portion of the mosque that falls within the road-widening zone. However, one group attempted to take advantage of the situation; the deployed force retaliated immediately, using tear gas and a lathi-charge,” SP Pradeep Sharma told news agency, ANI.
He claimed that the police have secured the entire perimeter, and surveillance is being maintained everywhere via CCTV cameras and drones.
Meanwhile, Khaliqur Rahman, the Qazi of the city, has called for calm and said the matter of the mosque was settled. In a video message, he asked the protesters to stay away from the streets and maintain peace. “Don't gather around. There is no reason to protest. The matter of the mosque was resolved the previous night itself. What commitment was made must be completed and they are doing their job. Don't go after rumours,” the Qazi said.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court had dismissed petitions challenging the proposed removal of the portion of the mosque on September 9. An appeal by the mosque authorities was listed for hearing on Monday.
According to reports, at least 272 structures are expected to be affected as part of the road-widening project, for which the Madhya Pradesh governement has sanctioned around Rs 9.8 crore.