A section of the Shahi Masjid’s minaret in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, collapsed onto the mosque’s roof on Thursday, October 1, during demolition work, damaging a portion of the structure. The incident came days after members of the local Muslim community protested against the proposed demolition of a portion of the mosque as part of a road-widening project. The protest had led to tensions in the area, with police using lathis and tear gas against demonstrators.
A video recorded on Thursday shows members of the Muslim community standing at a distance from the mosque as the demolition was underway. A loud crashing sound can be heard as the structure gives way, followed by cries of distress from people watching the demolition. According to officials, the incident occurred after a machinery belt broke while the affected section of the minaret was being removed. The portion fell onto the mosque’s roof, causing damage to the structure. No one was injured, officials said.
Ujjain District Collector Roshan Kumar Singh appealed to people to stay away from rumours and said the work was being carried out with the cooperation of the local community.
“During the road widening work in Ujjain, some damage has been caused to a portion of the mosque. No one was injured in the incident,” Singh said in a statement as highlighted by the Siasat.com
The collector said the administration was continuously monitoring the situation and that representatives of different communities and local residents were present at the site. He added that officials were in regular communication with those present and said the work was being carried out peacefully.
The road-widening project covers the stretch from Kanthal Crossing to Gopal Mandir, which is being widened to 15 metres ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh 2028. Structures falling within the proposed alignment are being removed or modified as part of the project.
Ujjain civic body Executive Engineer Rajkumar Rathore said the master plan identifies 2.7 metres of the mosque’s portion from Chhatri Chowk towards Gopal Mandir and another 1.4 metres at the opposite end as falling within the road-widening alignment. A notice had been issued regarding the affected portions.
The project has also affected shops in the area. Rathore said the work was technically sensitive and was therefore being carried out in phases, with members of the community involved in the process. Shahar Qazi Khaliqur Rahman said members of the Muslim community continue to offer all five daily prayers at the mosque. T
The road-widening work is part of a larger project in Ujjain under which 272 structures, including religious sites, are set to be affected. The state government has sanctioned around Rs 9.8 crore for the project An official had earlier said that a portion of the Shahi Masjid at Chhatri Chowk was being voluntarily removed by the local community, the Siasat.com further reports.
