Indian Muslims Gather at 600-Year-Old Ujjain Mosque to Oppose Planned Demolition

Hundreds of Muslims have gathered inside and around a centuries-old mosque in India’s Madhya Pradesh state to protest the planned demolition of part of the structure for a road-widening project, according to Indian media reports.

The protest is taking place at the historic Shahi Masjid in Ujjain, which local reports describe as around 600 years old.

According to Indian media, local authorities arrived at the site late at night with bulldozers amid a heavy police presence. However, the operation was halted after a large number of people gathered inside and outside the mosque in opposition to the demolition.

Additional police personnel and members of the Rapid Action Force were reportedly deployed in the area.

Road-Widening Project Ahead of Simhastha Kumbh

Part of the historic mosque has reportedly been marked for demolition as part of a road-widening project being undertaken ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh, a major Hindu religious gathering scheduled to be held in Ujjain in 2028.

Muslims participating in the protest told local journalists that they had been maintaining a presence at the mosque for around two weeks.

They said community members had agreed to remain inside the mosque in shifts and in large numbers in an effort to prevent the marked section from being demolished.

According to the reports, authorities increased the police presence around the mosque and brought bulldozers to the area during the latest attempt to proceed with the planned action. The operation was subsequently stopped as crowds gathered at the site.

The dispute comes as preparations and infrastructure projects continue in Ujjain ahead of the 2028 religious gathering.