Sanjauli: Police use water canons to disperse Hindu crowd protesting against mosque | WATCH

New Delhi: Tensions escalated in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district on Friday as Hindu organizations staged a large-scale protest against an allegedly illegal mosque construction in Sanjauli, Shimla. The protesters, chanting slogans against the state government, attempted to break through police barricades, prompting the use of water cannons to disperse the crowd.

Protests over alleged illegal mosque construction

The protest, organized by several Hindu groups, came even after the mosque authorities had already demolished parts of the structure deemed unauthorized. Despite this, hundreds of demonstrators gathered along Jail Road in Mandi, voicing strong opposition to what they described as unlawful religious encroachment. The demonstrators called for immediate action from the state government to address the issue.

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All eyes on Himachal Pradesh!

Local Hindus are protesting against the illegal Mosques and Congress govt using full force against them.
After Sanjauli, people are now protesting in Mandi.

Hindus of Himachal has awakened..👏🏻pic.twitter.com/SZmGYSVOOr

— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) September 13, 2024

What was CM Sukhu's response?

In response to the growing unrest, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu emphasized the state’s commitment to maintaining peace and upholding religious harmony. "I have appealed to everyone to maintain peace, and no provocative statements should be made. That’s why I have called an all-party meeting. No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. The land of Himachal respects all religions," CM Sukhu said in a public statement.

Sukhu also issued a stern warning to anyone attempting to disrupt law and order, assuring the public that the state government would act firmly against any lawbreakers.

Heightened security in Mandi

Anticipating the large-scale protests, the Himachal Pradesh Police bolstered security along key routes in Mandi, particularly around Jail Road. Mandi Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma stated that they had received intelligence about the planned protest and had made sufficient arrangements to ensure peace. “We received information that some organizations had called for a gathering. The police have made adequate arrangements to maintain law and order," Verma explained.

Around 300 police personnel were deployed, and checkpoints were established at the entrances to Mandi town for routine checks. Despite these precautions, tensions remained high throughout the day.

Police release CCTV footage of stone-pelting incident

Earlier on Friday, the police released CCTV footage from Wednesday’s protests in Sanjauli, which showed stone pelting during a similar demonstration over the alleged illegal mosque construction. To date, eight FIRs have been registered, and six police officers were injured in the clashes, including a female officer who sustained serious spinal injuries.