Mandi, September 13:The situation turned tense during a protest being held by Hindu organizations against an alleged illegal mosque near Sakodi Pul Jail Road in Mandi district when a scuffle broke out between protesters and police. Thousands of protesters, adamant on their demands, refused to leave the area, following which police had to use water cannon to disperse the crowd.
As the situation calmed down for a while, District Commissioner Apurv Devgan intervened and tried to defuse tension and restore order by talking to the protesters.
Section 163 imposed as precautionary measure
In response to the growing unrest, the district administration had imposed Section 163 (144 CrPC) in seven major wards of Mandi, including Mangwai, Thanehradah, Bhagwahan Mohalla, Palace-1, Palace-2, Suhra Mohalla and Samkheter. Under this legal measure, there is a ban on the assembly of five or more people and carrying of lethal weapons and inflammable substances.
Barricades have been put up near the disputed mosque and Jail Road has been closed for vehicular traffic. The area is being strictly patrolled and District Commissioner Apoorv Devgan, SP Sakshi Verma and ADC Rohit Rathore are monitoring the security arrangements. DGP Law and Order Shimla has also reached to handle the situation.
The administration has imposed a blanket ban on rallies, hunger strikes, processions and any activity that obstructs public roads. Apart from this, religious or communal speech, use of loudspeakers and wall writings are also prohibited. Violators will face punishment under Section 223 of the Indian Justice Code, 2023. Government employees on duty, police, fire services, medical emergency personnel and media representatives are exempted from these restrictions.
The dispute over the validity of the mosque will be addressed in the court of the Commissioner of Mandi Municipal Corporation later today. An appeal has been made on social media that supporters should gather near the corporation office, which has further increased the already tense situation in the area.
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