Demand power and water supply to mosque be disconnected
TNR News Network
SHIMLA: A fresh wave of tension swept Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla’s Sanjauli area on Friday (November 21, 2025) as several Hindu organisations renewed their call to block Muslim worshippers from offering namaz at a mosque declared illegal by civic authorities.
Similar attempts to obstruct Friday prayers were reported last week as well, deepening the standoff over the long-running dispute.
Hunger strike escalates standoff
Members of the Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) intensified their protest this week, with two of its office-bearers — Vijay Sharma and Madan Thakur — continuing a hunger strike for the fourth consecutive day outside the Sanjauli police station.
A makeshift tent has been set up at the protest site, where the duo is demanding that power and water supply to the mosque be disconnected and that police withdraw the FIR filed against six people after last Friday’s confrontation.
Sharma’s condition reportedly deteriorated on Thursday, following which he was taken to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) for treatment.
Last Friday’s clash fuels fresh mobilisation
The conflict re-erupted on November 14 when protesters allegedly stopped several Muslims from other states from entering the Sanjauli mosque for prayers. Heated arguments broke out before police intervened. The protestors argued that allowing namaz inside a structure already termed illegal by the court was unacceptable.
Police later booked six persons, including three women, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, a move that further angered Hindu groups. They questioned why action was taken against them when the Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner and a district court had already categorised the mosque structure as illegal. The district court has directed that the building be demolished by December 30.
Long-standing dispute over mosque construction
The Sanjauli mosque has been at the centre of controversy since August last year, when a clash between two groups in Mehli spilled over into the area and sparked statewide protests. In September 2024, heavy demonstrations again broke out, prompting police to use force and water cannons to disperse agitators demanding the mosque’s demolition.
Following multiple hearings, the civic body ordered demolition of three upper floors in October 2023 and later, in May 2025, declared the entire structure illegal. The Waqf Board and mosque committee challenged the ruling, but the district court dismissed their plea on October 30 this year.
With the DSS calling for a major mobilisation today and appealing to parents to keep schoolchildren at home to avoid disruptions, authorities fear a volatile situation. Police presence has been increased across Sanjauli to prevent any untoward incident.
