Tension in Ujjain as mosque demolition action triggers clashes with police

Heavy clashes erupted in Ujjain on Monday as authorities proceeded with action to remove a portion of the Shahi Mosque, a structure at the center of a growing communal dispute in the Madhya Pradesh city. Police deployed tear gas canisters after demonstrators hurled stones during the operation, which had drawn significant public opposition in preceding days.

The mosque demolition has created a rare schism within Ujjain's Muslim community, with residents split into opposing camps. While one section supports the removal of the contested section, others have mounted vocal resistance to the action, viewing it as a threat to the religious structure's integrity.

The Monday operation drew large crowds of protesters to the site. Law enforcement personnel were forced to use crowd control measures, including tear gas, after the situation deteriorated into stone-throwing incidents. The exact sequence of events that triggered the violence remained unclear, though tensions had been running high since announcement of the planned action.

The incident underscores mounting communal sensitivities in several Indian cities over control and use of disputed religious structures. Authorities have not yet issued detailed statements regarding the scope of the demolition action or its legal justification.