Hundreds of people mobilized by a pro –Hindu outfit demanding demolition of ongoing illegal construction in a local mosque in Mandi, adamant on marching towards the mosque, tried to remove barricades and pushed the policemen.

The protesters had organized a march despite the minority community volunteering to demolish the illegal construction and Municipal Authorities ordering demolition of the same.

  The protesters assembled at Seri Manch in the morning and marched towards the jail road mosque but police stopped them by putting up barricades near Skodi Bridge. The police used water cannons to disperse the protesters as some of them tried to climb on the barricades and pushed back the policemen. The slogan raising protesters were dispersed by the police after an hour.

The issue of illegal construction on a portion of a mosque at jail road was raised a few days back, when a protest was held before the Municipal Corporation Office Mandi. The MC authorities had announced to take legal action in the matter.

The Mandi Municipal Corporation Commissioner Court headed by HS Rana on Friday ordered removal of two floors of a mosque on the Jail Road which were raised without proper authorization, within thirty days.

 The land on which construction was being carried is registered in the name of a lady belonging to a minority community but it was found the land actually belonged to PWD after which the MC Mandi had issued a notice.

The community had volunteered to demolish the illegal construction and had started to raze the portion.

District Commissioner Apoorv Devgan said, “We appeal to the public to maintain peace as necessary steps in accordance with the law are being taken and the situation monitored closely.”

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