Mandi: Hindu organisations staged a protest over an alleged illegally constructed mosque in Mandi on Friday. As the crowd tried to bring down the line of barricades, police resorted to firing water cannon to disperse the crowd.
The protests had been called for by Hindu organisations even after Mosque authorities demolished parts of the complex that were allegedly unauthorized. Large crowds of protestors gathered along the jail road in Mandi and shouted slogans against the state government demanding action against the alleged illegal construction.
Earlier in the day, the Himachal Pradesh Police tightened security and placed barricades in the Jail Road area in Mandi on Friday. According to Mandi Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma, the heightened security was done following information received by the police of a gathering called by some organisation.
This protest followed those those that broke out over the illegal construction of a mosque in the Sanjauli area of the city on Wednesday. Around 300 police personnel were deployed across the city and police nakas were placed at the entrance of Mandi town, Verma added.
"Law and order will be maintained. Through different sources, we have information that some organisations have given a call to gather here. 300 police personnel have been deployed, and police nakas have been placed at the entrance of Mandi town. Action will be taken on violation of prohibitory orders under 163 BNS," SP Verma said.
However, BJP spokesperson Chetan Bragta criticised the Police for using force to disperse the protestors, "Another brazen attack on Hindus by the Congress government of Himachal, this time in Mandi. First Shimla, now this--using water cannons and force to suppress people. What exactly is this government trying to achieve?"
Earlier today, the police released the stone-pelting video of Wednesday's protest held in Sanjauli over the alleged illegal construction of a mosque in Shimla. Eight FIRs had been registered so far and six policemen were injured in the protest, including a woman police officer who had vertebral fractures and is in a serious condition.
Earlier on Wednesday, protestors removed the first layer of barricading and clashed with the security forces while entering the Dhalli Tunnel East portal during their protest march. Police personnel used water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse protestors heading towards the Sanjauli area of Shimla.