Ujjain Masjid demolition: clashes erupted amid heavy police crackdown

Ujjain: The demolition of a portion of Ujjain’s historic Shahi Masjid on Monday triggered violent clashes as authorities deployed more than 2,000 security personnel to push ahead with the road-widening drive despite fierce opposition from local residents. Police used tear gas and baton charges as protesters confronted security forces, while stones were pelted at police amid the escalating tension.

The confrontation came after hundreds of residents had spent two nights inside the mosque, refusing to leave and attempting to prevent the removal of its affected portion. Barricades were erected within a 500-metre radius, severely restricting movement around the religious site as the administration pressed ahead with the operation.

The demolition is part of the Ujjain Development Plan 2035, under which the roughly 900-metre stretch between Kanthal Chouraha and Gopal Mandir is being widened to 15 metres ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh. The project affects several structures, including part of the Shahi Masjid complex.

The mosque’s Waqf committee had challenged the demolition notices before the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore Bench, arguing that the historic religious structure should be protected and the road could instead be widened from the opposite side. The court dismissed the petitions on September 9, clearing the way for the municipal corporation to proceed.

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi condemned the administration’s action and called for the required land to be acquired from the other side rather than removing part of the mosque. The confrontation has since turned the area into a heavily militarised zone, with the demolition drive and police response intensifying anger among protesters.