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| Police personnel deployed during a protest amid clashes and the use of crowd-control measures. Photo credit: Seyyed Sajed Hassan Razavi/ Wikimedia commons. |
Ujjain, September 28, 2026: Tension broke out in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on Monday during protests over the proposed removal of part of the historic Shahi Masjid as part of a road-widening project ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Mela.
Police used tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd after stones were reportedly thrown at security personnel. Local reports also said police used a lathi charge as the situation became tense. Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed in the area.
The dispute concerns a portion of the mosque that falls within the proposed alignment of a road being widened to 15 metres between Kanthal Square and Gopal Mandir. The wider project reportedly involves 272 structures.
According to police and local officials, discussions had taken place with members of the mosque committee, and the administration said the removal was connected to the road-widening work. One report said the mosque committee had begun removing the affected portion itself following overnight discussions.
However, community members gathered at the site to oppose the removal. The Indian Express reported that residents had stayed near the mosque overnight ahead of a scheduled hearing in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The confrontation escalated on Monday morning when stones were reportedly thrown at police. Officers then used tear gas to control the crowd. Reports differ on injuries: some reports said police personnel suffered minor injuries, while a police statement cited by PTI said no one had been injured.
The legal dispute over the proposed removal is also before the Madhya Pradesh High Court's Indore bench. Earlier petitions challenging the municipal notices had been dismissed, while another hearing related to the matter was scheduled for September 28.
The road-widening work is part of preparations for the 2028 Simhastha Mela, a major religious gathering expected to bring large numbers of pilgrims to Ujjain.
Police have deployed a large security contingent in the area and are using CCTV and drone footage to identify people allegedly involved in stone-pelting, according to the Ujjain superintendent of police. Ujjain City Qazi Khaliqur Rahman also appealed for peace and urged people to avoid unnecessary gatherings.
The situation remains developing, with the court proceedings and administrative action expected to determine the next steps regarding the mosque portion and the road-widening project.