After Shimla, Tensions Surge in Himachal's Mandi as Protesters Clash with Cops Over Mosque Issue

Shimla: Police resorted to using water cannons to disperse protestors demanding the demolition of a mosque built on encroached land in Himachal's Mandi. The clash occurred after protestors, who had initially staged a march in the Mandi market area and sat on a dharna at Seri Manch, attempted to advance towards the mosque.

The unrest escalated as Hindu outfits called for the protest march, prompting authorities to deploy heavy security in the town. On Thursday, members of the Muslim community had taken the initiative to demolish an unauthorised portion of the mosque located on Jail Road, which stands on land belonging to the Public Works Department (PWD). Both the PWD and the municipal corporation had previously served notices to the mosque management regarding the encroachment.

Videos of the mosque demolition have gone viral. Iqbal Ali from the mosque committee explained, “The PWD officials had informed us that a wall of the mosque was in PWD land and we were served notice. So we decided to demolish the wall.”

Amid the ongoing tensions, an all-party meeting is scheduled for Friday at the State Secretariat in Shimla. Representatives from the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) Legislative Party are expected to attend, though Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, currently out of Himachal Pradesh , might be replaced by another party representative.

In a related development, the Muslim welfare committee requested permission from Shimla Municipal Commissioner Bhupendra Attri to demolish an unauthorized portion of a mosque in Sanjauli. Mufti Mohammad Shafi Kasmi, a committee member, stated, “We have sought permission from the Shimla municipal commissioner to demolish the unauthorized part of the mosque situated in Sanjauli.”

Shimla police have registered eight FIRs against over 50 individuals involved in the recent protests. SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that security around Shimla's 14 mosques has been increased. At least 10 people, including six police personnel, were injured during the protests, which saw demonstrators breaking barricades and clashing with police.

Members of the Dev Bhoomi Sangarsh Committee, which organised the protests, welcomed the Muslim welfare committee’s decision to address the issue. Vijay Sharma from the committee said, “We welcome the move of the Muslim community and would be the first to hug them for taking this initiative in the larger interest.”

Himachal Pradesh Minister Anirudh Singh accused former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur of funding the mosque’s construction and alleged that the BJP was trying to disturb state peace. Thakur dismissed these claims as baseless, attributing them to an attempt to distract from Congress ’s failures.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal have called for the demolition of all illegal structures and encroachments in the state. The VHP has also announced a two-hour bandh on Friday, while a three-hour bandh took place in Shimla on Thursday in protest of police actions against demonstrators.