Mosque dispute: 15 people are arrested, police scatter stone-throwing demonstrators, and the HC approves road construction

According to officials, tensions erupted in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on Monday as police dispersed a throng that was allegedly throwing stones in protest of the planned removal of a section of the Shahi Masjid for a road-widening project using tear gas and light force.

According to Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma, a charge was filed against seven individuals, including some social media influencers, who were said to have shared inflammatory words and incited people. Following the altercation, some persons were arrested and fifteen others were detained. According to Sharma, police were using CCTV and drone footage to identify the stone-throwers and will prosecute them. He said that there were peaceful flag marches taking place throughout the city.

The demonstration took place prior to the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench hearing on petitions pertaining to the planned demolition of a section of the Shahi Masjid as part of a road-widening project in advance of the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh. Two appeals filed by the Muslim side were later dismissed by the Indore bench of Justices Subodh Abhyankar and Jai Kumar Pillai after the petitioners informed the court that a compromise had been made with the Ujjain Municipal Corporation about the removal of obstacles to the mosque.

Petitions against the planned destruction of the Shahi Masjid’s section that falls inside the road alignment were dismissed by the High Court on September 9. To facilitate pilgrims’ travel during the Simhastha Kumbh, the road from Kanthal bridge to Gopal Mandir is being extended to 15 meters over a distance of roughly 900 meters. Structures that fall within the suggested alignment will either be removed or modified as part of the project.

According to Ujjain Collector Roshan Singh, road widening is being done in accordance with the master plan, and construction is proceeding to accommodate the enormous number of devotees anticipated for the event. “A portion of the Shahi Mosque at Chhatri Chowk is being voluntarily removed by the community. I appeal to everyone to ignore any rumours and maintain peace,” he said. Additionally, Ujjain Shahar Qazi Khalil-ur-Rehman urged people not to trust rumors or congregate around the location needlessly. He claimed that on Sunday nite, the mosque dispute had been settled by mutual agreement.

The administration’s preparations for the removal work were followed by further conflict. According to Sharma, police had been monitoring the area with drones and CCTV cameras since about four in the morning. The road-widening project is a component of a broader Ujjain project that will impact 272 buildings, including places of worship. Approximately Rs 9.8 crore has been approved by the state government for the project.