The accused are identified as Madan Thakur, Vijay Sharma, Kalpana Sharma, Shweta Chauhan, Shilpi and Parul, and are members of Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti
NEW DELHI – Muslim worshippers were obstructed from offering Friday congregational prayers in Sanjauli mosque in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Six members of the Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti were put behind bars on Saturday in this connection.
The Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti is a Hindu right-wing organisation in Himachal Pradesh, primarily known for its campaigns against the Muslim community. Affiliated with the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), the samiti has led a movement to demand the demolition of the five-storey mosque, which it claims is an illegal construction on government land.
The arrested members have been identified as Madan Thakur, Vijay Sharma, Kalpana Sharma, Shweta Chauhan, Shilpi and Parul. Thakur is the co-convenor of the organisation.
Media reports on Saturday said the incident occurred on Friday when several Muslims gathered at the mosque to offer namaz. It triggered a section of residents, and following that, the members of the Samiti, including the six accused, gathered at the spot. They allegedly tried to prevent the Muslims from entering the mosque, claiming that the mosque had been declared illegal by the local court, and hence, offering namaz should not be permitted.
They further doubted the citizenship of the people who came to offer namaz, claiming that their identities had not been verified. Some locals also stopped the visiting crowd from offering prayers and allegedly sent them back, reports said.
As tension escalated, additional police personnel were deployed at the site. They soon pacified the crowd and brought the situation under control.
The organisation later submitted a letter to the office of a senior police officer in Shimla, demanding restrictions on the increasing number of people coming to the site for namaz, asserting that their identities cannot be ascertained. They also requested to cut off the electricity and water connections to the mosque, as it had been declared illegal by the local court.
The Sanjauli mosque was subjected to protests last year as many demanded a partial demolition, claiming the structure was illegal. A Shimla court later ordered the mosque committee to complete the demolition of three floors within two months.
The situation remains tense, with past events including violent clashes and the use of water cannons to disperse protesters.
