At least 15 people have been arrested and cases have been registered against seven people following clashes over the partial removal of the Shahi Mosque in Ujjain on Monday, police said.
Tension broke out in the Chhatri Chowk area after groups of people allegedly hurled stones at police personnel and barricades. Police used tear gas and mild force to disperse the crowd.
The violence came hours after protests over the removal of a portion of the mosque were reportedly called off following an overnight agreement between the mosque committee, Muslim representatives and the administration.
Police use tear gas after stone pelting
The approximately 9-foot-long and 4-foot-wide portion of the Shahi Mosque that falls within the road widening project was being removed by members of the mosque committee and Muslim community themselves.
However, tensions escalated later in the morning when groups gathered near the mosque. Police said some people blocked roads and allegedly started pelting stones from narrow lanes around 9.30 am.
“Some anti-social elements tried to vitiate the atmosphere by blocking the road and pelting stones. They were dealt with firmly. The situation is under control,” Ujjain Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma said.
He said police used tear gas and mild force to control the situation and were identifying those involved through CCTV and drone footage.
According to the SP, 15 people have been arrested and cases have been registered against seven people, including some social media influencers who allegedly shared inflammatory statements and incited people.
Police also detained several others during the operation.
Crime Branch Inspector Pushpa Panchal suffered an injury to her hand while trying to stop a group of women protesting with metal sheets.
Around 2,500 police and Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed in Ujjain and other sensitive areas, according to officials.
Muslim man beaten during tension
A video circulating from the area also appears to show a Muslim man being chased and beaten by a group of people. The man can be heard repeatedly saying, “I have done nothing.”
Another person is heard asking, “What will happen if he dies?”
Later, a group of women gathered at Makodiya Aam Naka on Agar Road, around five kilometres from central Ujjain, blocking a road used by devotees travelling towards the Mahakaleshwar Temple and other religious sites. Police were deployed to clear the road.
Mosque removal linked to Simhastha road project
The Ujjain administration is widening a roughly one-kilometre stretch between Kanthal Chowraha and Gopal Mandir as part of preparations for Simhastha 2028.
Several houses, shops and religious structures falling within the road widening area have been removed or shifted.
Ujjain Collector Roshan Singh said the removal of structures was being carried out voluntarily by members of the respective communities.
“People are removing houses, shops and places of worship falling within the road widening area themselves,” Singh said, urging residents to ignore rumours.
Ujjain Shahar Qazi Khali Kurre Rehman also appealed for peace and said the mosque issue had been settled overnight. He asked people not to gather in markets and warned against spreading rumours.
High Court disposes of appeals after settlement
The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench on Monday disposed of two appeals filed by the Muslim side after the petitioners told the court that a settlement had been reached with the Ujjain Municipal Corporation.
The bench of Justices Subodh Abhyankar and Jai Kumar Pillai disposed of the appeals after the petitioners said an agreement had been reached regarding the removal of obstructions affecting the mosque.
Earlier, on September 9, a single judge had dismissed two petitions challenging the demolition notice issued by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation.
The court had held that the civic body had followed due process and cited the expected increase in devotees during Simhastha 2028, traffic management requirements and the mosque’s location near the Mahakaleshwar Temple and the Kshipra River.
The latest clashes occurred despite the reported overnight settlement, with police now investigating the stone pelting and other incidents during Monday’s violence.
AAP leader Amanatullah Khan also criticised the action, alleging that government machinery was being used to target Muslims. His comments were made amid the ongoing political debate over the mosque’s removal
