Shimla municipal court declares Sanjauli Mosque illegal, mandates its demolition

Shimla (The Uttam Hindu): The Sanjauli Mosque in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, will be completely demolished. Additional District Magistrate Yajuvendra Singh issued the ruling today (Thursday) on a petition filed by the Waqf Board and the Sanjauli Mosque Committee. Demolition of the mosque had been halted after a challenge in the district court by the Muslim Welfare Society.

On Thursday, the district court upheld the demolition orders for the entire structure of the Sanjauli Mosque. It is noteworthy that the Sanjauli Mosque case continued in the Shimla Municipal Commissioner's Court for nearly 16 years. During this period, the case was heard more than 50 times. The mosque dispute escalated after a fight between two groups in Mehli, Shimla, on August 31, 2024. Hindu organizations demonstrated in Shimla on September 1 and 5, 2024. On September 11, violent protests broke out in Sanjauli-Dhali. To control the violent mob, the police used mild force and even used water cannons. This enraged Hindu organizations. Following this, protests broke out in several districts of the state, and people took to the streets.