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Hundreds of Muslims have gathered inside the historic Shahi Mosque in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, to oppose its proposed demolition as part of a road-widening project ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
According to Al Jazeera, the mosque is around 600 years old. Reports said an attempt was made to bring in bulldozers to demolish part of the mosque around midnight on Sunday, with a heavy police presence at the site. Local residents reportedly prevented the operation from proceeding.
Touqeer Khan, a local resident staying inside the mosque, told Maktub Media that Muslims had been maintaining a vigil there for more than two weeks.
“People have unanimously decided to take turns staying inside the mosque in large numbers so that it is not demolished,” he said, adding that worshippers continue to perform the five daily prayers there.
Khan alleged that police presence was increased on Sunday night and that the Rapid Action Force was deployed. He also claimed that bulldozers had been brought to demolish the mosque, but the operation was halted after large numbers of people gathered inside and outside the premises.
An 11-member Masjid Numainda Committee has been formed to oversee the dispute and coordinate the vigil, according to local residents.
Mufti Junaid, a prominent cleric from Indore, alleged that authorities attempted to demolish the mosque while the dispute was ongoing. He said Muslims had gathered because they feared the demolition could put other mosques at risk.
He also claimed that several old mosques in Ujjain could be affected by redevelopment work linked to the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
Referring to the earlier demolition of the Takhia Mosque in Ujjain, Mufti Junaid alleged that authorities had repeatedly assured Muslims that it would not be demolished but later removed it.
The Shahi Mosque is among several structures affected by plans to widen roads and redevelop parts of Ujjain ahead of the 2028 Hindu pilgrimage event. The claims regarding the proposed demolition and the authorities’ actions could not be independently verified from the information provided.