Ujjain Shahi Masjid row: Clashes with police, stone-pelting and tear gas reported amid demolition dispute

Tension escalated in Ujjain on Monday as people protesting the proposed removal of a portion of the Shahi Masjid clashed with police, with stone-pelting reported and security personnel using tear gas to disperse the crowd. Heavy police deployment remained in place around the mosque complex as authorities proceeded with road-widening work.

The dispute centres on a portion of the mosque that falls within the proposed alignment of a road being widened ahead of the Simhastha 2028 religious gathering. The Ujjain Municipal Corporation is widening the road between Kanthal Chauraha and Gopal Mandir to improve traffic movement and infrastructure ahead of the event.

What happened in Ujjain?

A large crowd gathered near the Shahi Masjid as the administration began removing the portion of the structure that falls within the proposed road alignment.

According to reports, protesters and police came face-to-face at the site, following which stones were thrown at security personnel. Police used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Rapid Action Force personnel were also deployed in the area.

More than 2,000 police personnel have reportedly been deployed around the area, with barricades placed within a roughly 500-metre radius of the religious structure to restrict movement and prevent the situation from escalating.

Why is the Shahi Masjid being removed?

The controversy is linked to a road-widening project being undertaken ahead of Simhastha 2028. The proposed road between Kanthal Chauraha and Gopal Mandir is planned to be widened to around 15 metres.

A portion of the Shahi Masjid falls within the road alignment. Authorities have said the infrastructure work is required to improve traffic management and facilitate the movement of large numbers of devotees during Simhastha and other religious events.

Several structures have been affected by the wider road-widening exercise, with reports saying 272 structures have been marked for removal as part of the development work.

Mosque committee challenges the action

Members of the mosque committee and local residents have opposed the removal of the mosque portion. They have argued that an alternative alignment should be considered instead of removing part of the religious structure.

The mosque committee had approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court challenging the proposed action. The matter has continued to be contested even as the administration has proceeded with the road-widening work.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Indore Bench had earlier dismissed petitions challenging the municipal corporation's decision. The court held that the authorities had followed the statutory procedure and noted that other religious structures had also been affected by the road-widening exercise.

The mosque committee has since approached a larger bench, with the matter scheduled for hearing on Monday.

Protests continued overnight

The latest clashes followed a tense night outside the mosque, where members of the Muslim community had gathered to oppose the proposed removal.

Police and administrative officials had attempted to resolve the situation through discussions with representatives of the mosque committee. According to earlier reports, authorities had sought cooperation from community members to remove the portion themselves rather than have municipal teams carry out the work.

The situation remained tense on Monday as the removal process began.

What political leaders said

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi criticised the administration's action and called for greater sensitivity while dealing with the issue.

He said the administration should "respect public sentiments" and suggested that land on the other side of the road could instead be acquired for widening the route.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also commented on the dispute, saying the community's opposition to the demolition was being expressed through a peaceful protest. He also linked the developments to concerns he had previously raised about the Waqf Amendment law.

Security remains tight

With the dispute continuing and the court hearing scheduled, security forces have maintained a heavy presence around the Shahi Masjid complex.

Authorities are attempting to prevent further clashes while continuing the road-widening work. The situation remains developing, with the court proceedings expected to provide the next major update on the dispute.