Shahi Masjid demolition: Ujjain residents and police clash; stones pelted, tear gas fired

The resistance centres on the portion of the mosque that falls within the proposed alignment of the road, which the Ujjain Municipal Corporation plans to widen to 15 metres. (ANI/File photo)

Tension escalated outside Ujjain’s Shahi Masjid on Monday morning as residents opposing the removal of a portion of the mosque for road widening clashed with police and allegedly pelted stones at security personnel, prompting the police to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

The confrontation came as the Ujjain Municipal Corporation began the process of removing the portion of the mosque that falls within the proposed alignment of the road being widened ahead of Simhastha 2028.

A large crowd gathered at the site as the action began, with police and protesters coming face-to-face amid the continuing opposition to the demolition.

#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: A large group of people clashes with Police in Ujjain at the spot where a portion of Shahi Masjid is planned to be demolished for a road-widening project. A heavy police force remains deployed in the area. pic.twitter.com/jeq03Wcd5s

— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2026

Police had made extensive security arrangements around the mosque following the overnight standoff, when hundreds of residents and members of the Muslim community had gathered at the site to prevent the proposed removal.

VIDEO | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh: Administration on high alert amid Shahi Masjid dispute; heavy police deployment in Gopal Mandir area.

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) pic.twitter.com/wVgsbEbgFH

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 28, 2026

The administration has deployed a large police contingent in the area, with reports putting the deployment at around 2,000 personnel. Barricades have been placed around the mosque and movement has been restricted in an approximately 500-metre radius as authorities seek to prevent the confrontation from spreading. Senior police and administrative officials are at the spot.

The immediate confrontation follows two days of resistance by residents to the proposed removal. On Sunday night, police and municipal teams had arrived with JCB and other heavy machinery, but a large gathering outside the mosque prevented the administration from proceeding with the operation. Community members had also spent the night inside the mosque, saying they would not allow any part of the religious structure to be removed.

There had been attempts overnight to resolve the standoff through discussions between the administration and representatives of the mosque. Some reports said an understanding had been reached under which members of the community would themselves remove the affected portion, but the arrangement did not hold and opposition resumed when the removal process began on Monday.

The dispute centres on the proposed widening of the road between Kanthal Chauraha and Gopal Mandir. The roughly 900-metre stretch is being widened to 15 metres as part of preparations for Simhastha 2028, and several religious structures fall within the alignment. Most of the affected structures have already been removed, according to reports, leaving the Shahi Masjid as the main point of resistance.

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The mosque committee and members of the Muslim community have argued that the road should be widened through an alternative alignment or by removing structures opposite the mosque. They have also challenged the proposed removal in court, arguing that the mosque, which is registered as a Waqf property, should be protected as a religious structure.

The legal challenge is continuing even as the administration proceeds on the ground. The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore Bench had on September 9 dismissed two petitions challenging the municipal corporation’s decision, holding that the authorities had followed the statutory procedure and that the proposed removal did not violate Articles 14, 25, 26 or 300A of the Constitution. The court also took note of the road’s importance for traffic management during Simhastha and the location of the mosque near the Mahakaleshwar Temple and Kshipra river.

The mosque committee has since approached a Division Bench, with the matter scheduled for hearing on Monday.

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Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More