Shimla, Oct 21 (IANS): The process of demolishing portions of the Sanjauli mosque in Shimla has officially begun. On October 5, the Shimla Municipal Court had ordered the demolition of the mosque's second, third, and fourth floors, citing illegal construction.

Massive police force has been deployed around the mosque to ensure law and order during the process of demolition of the illegally-constructed floors.

Sanjauli Mosque Committee Chairman, Mohammad Latif has said that the roof of the mosque is being demolished only after getting the approval. It will take two to three months to demolish the entire illegal construction.

He said that the decision to demolish the illegal construction has been taken so that mutual brotherhood and communal harmony is maintained.

Latif said that permission for demolition was granted on Monday, and work has already begun with the removal of the mosque's roof.

The Sanjauli Masjid Committee has been given two months by the court to carry out the demolition at its own expense.

The controversy surrounding the mosque has been going on for some years. Local residents had called for its demolition, and the Shimla Municipal Corporation first issued a notice in 2011. Despite these actions, the mosque expanded into a five-storey building by 2018 without sufficient approvals.

Recently, the Sanjauli Mosque Committee sought permission from the Waqf Board, which claims ownership of the land, to proceed with the demolition. Although the Board had previously defended the construction as legal, it failed to provide documentation supporting these claims.

The issue had led to protests by Hindu organisations, which demanded the demolition of other ‘illegal’ mosques in Himachal Pradesh. The matter also reached the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, where Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh expressed support for the mosque's demolition.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reiterated that the state respects all residents, regardless of religion.

The Sanjauli mosque dispute escalated following an incident in Shimla's Malyana area, where a Hindu man was allegedly assaulted by six individuals who reportedly sought refuge in a nearby mosque. This sparked protests from Hindu groups, who demanded the mosque's demolition on the grounds that it was illegally constructed.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for December 21.