Water cannon, lathi-charge on Shimla's streets amid massive anti-mosque protests | WATCH
Hindu group Devbhoomi launched a protest in Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla on Wednesday demanding the demolition of the allegedly illegal mosque situated in Sanjauli.
During the protest, demonstrators recited the Hanuman Chalisa and chanted "Jai Shri Ram" on the road leading to the mosque. They breached police barricades, leading to clashes in which a protester and a police officer sustained injuries from stone pelting.
The Sanjauli mosque was originally built before 1947. However, construction of a permanent five-story building began in 2010, prompting numerous complaints to the Municipal Corporation. Despite 35 demolition orders issued by the Corporation, the construction continued.
The latest unrest began on August 31 when a confrontation between two groups intensified, prompting Hindu organizations to demand the mosque's demolition.
Police had barricaded the area 250 meters from the mosque, but protesters bypassed these barriers and uprooted additional barricades placed closer to the mosque. The police responded with baton charges and water cannons, which initially proved ineffective but eventually dispersed the crowd.
A protester injured in the baton charge was taken to the hospital by fellow demonstrators. Hindu Jagran Manch leader Kamal Gautam was detained, and claims emerged that several other leaders had been arrested.
Drones have been deployed to monitor the situation, and movement near the Dhali tunnel has been restricted.
District Commissioner Anupam Kashyap has imposed Section 163 in Sanjauli, prohibiting gatherings of five or more people and carrying weapons from 7 a.m. to midnight. A flag march was conducted by police to maintain order.
Government and private offices, schools, and markets remain open, but protests are not allowed, and the use of loudspeakers has been banned.
The mosque, initially a makeshift structure with two floors, began its transition to a permanent building in 2010 following complaints of illegal construction. A legal case has been ongoing since then, with the Municipal Corporation ordering the halting of construction 35 times, and the toilets were demolished in 2023.
Following a recent assault incident, Hindu groups protested in Sanjauli and Chaura Maidan. On September 7, the 45th hearing in the Commissioner's Court took place, where the Waqf Board submitted ownership documents. The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 5 and requested a fresh status report from the concerned Junior Engineer.
Imam Shahzad stated that the mosque predates 1947 and that the current structure was built to accommodate growing numbers of worshippers. The land is owned by the Waqf Board, and the legal dispute regarding the mosque's second floor is ongoing. The Waqf Board is committed to abiding by the court's decision.
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu assured that the administration is overseeing the situation and emphasized that while peaceful demonstrations are allowed, no one will be permitted to take the law into their own hands. He added that a committee will be established to set guidelines for street vendors, and legal action will be taken regarding the mosque as necessary.
Agencies