Protest over ‘illegal’ construction in mosque at Shimla

Shimla, September 1

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Residents of Sanjauli and nearby places held a protest against the “illegal construction” in a mosque in a residential locality today. Raising religious slogans, a crowd demanded the demolition of the mosque immediately. “Several floors of the mosque have come up in a short span of time. The construction is illegal and we want this to be demolished,” said Narender Thakur, councillor from the Bhattakuffar ward.

Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi, MC Commissioner Bhupender Attri and other officials from the administration reached the spot to ensure things did not go out of control. “We have been assured by the Deputy Commissioner that the case of illegal construction that is being heard in the court of MC Commissioner is fast-tracked. Further, he assured us that the mosque would be sealed to ensure no construction is carried out inside the structure,” said Rakesh Sharma, former deputy mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation.

The immediate trigger for the protest was a scuffle between some individuals of the two communities, in which a local resident got hurt. “A local was attacked by 5-6 persons from the other community and he received several stitches on his head. It’s not acceptable to us at all,” said Sharma. The Shimla SP assured the protesters that a case under Section 307 would be registered against the accused. “However, we must ensure that no one takes any action that strains the camaraderie and brotherhood among the people,” he added.