Bhopal, Sep 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday disposed of two appeals concerning Ujjain’s Shahi Masjid after the mosque committee and the district administration reached an agreement over the portion of the structure affected by a road-widening project.
The order came even as stone-pelting and clashes with police were reported during the demolition exercise.
Advocate Kuldeep Pathak, appearing for the Shahi Masjid Committee, said the appeals were filed after a single bench of the High Court earlier dismissed the committee’s petition.
He explained that the administration had initially sought a 9.5-foot setback from the mosque, but both sides agreed to restrict the affected portion to three feet.
Under the settlement, shops falling in the road-widening area would be removed and alternative shops provided, while the large minaret would be relocated.
Pathak added that the administration and the committee would strictly adhere to the compromise reached, and that the terms outlined in the affidavit would also be implemented.
Tension broke out at the mosque premises on Monday morning as demolition work began. Ujjain Police said stones were pelted at personnel deployed at the site, prompting them to use tear gas and resort to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. A woman station house officer was injured during the action.
Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma said members of the Muslim community and the mosque committee participated in removing the portion identified for the road project.
He noted that the situation was normal at present, with demolition continuing from 8:45 a.m. until about 4:00 p.m. The demolition work was halted during prayer time, after which the situation eased.
Police said they detained more than 15 people and registered seven FIRs. Cases include allegations of inciting trouble and disturbing public order, with some social media influencers also booked. Security personnel remained deployed at sensitive locations.
The road-widening work is part of preparations for Simhastha 2028. A 1.5-km stretch from Kanthal Square to Gopal Mandir is being widened to 15 metres, affecting 323 structures, including 15 religious sites.
Twelve of these have already been removed, the Ujjain district administration says. A section of the Shahi Masjid measuring about nine feet in length and four feet in width falls within the proposed road alignment.
Source: IANS
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