Pune: Massive Gathering in City as Authorities Plan to Demolish 'Shaikhsallah' Mosque

Tension rose in Pune city as nearly 2000 members of the Muslim community gathered near Shaikh Salauddin Darga in Kasba Peth late at night upon hearing that Pune Municipal Corporation planned to demolish the mosque, citing lack of authorization.

Shaikh Salauddin Darga and Mosque, along with Punyeshwar and Narayaneshwar temple, have long been contentious points in Pune, fueling communal tensions. The temple's management, Hindutva vadi, and right-wing groups allege that the mosque was constructed by destroying Punyeshwar Mahadev mandir under Mughal rule, pushing for the demolition of the darga and mosque structures.

Now that the PMC has decided on a part of the mosque construction, community members have become agitated, gathering in large numbers and labeling it a political agenda. A late-night meeting took place at the Faraskhana police station between the Mosque committee, senior police officers, and PMC officers. A final meeting is scheduled for today at 10 AM at the Pune Police Commissioner's Office between the mosque committee and the authorities.

Commissioner of Pune Police Amitesh Kumar, along with DCP Sandeep Singh Gill, DCP Samartana Patil, and other senior officers, were at the scene. They urged the crowd to disperse, assuring no action would be taken that night. Through their efforts, the Commissioner and his team successfully persuaded the majority of the gathered individuals to vacate the area by approximately 2:30 AM.

The Pune Police Commissioner, Amitesh Kumar, announced that the crowd had been assured of no action at night. A meeting will take place in the morning to determine the next steps. He urged people not to fall for rumors, avoid disturbing the peace, and inciting law and order issues. Precautionary measures have been taken against certain individuals, with police deployed to handle the situation.