The uproar over the disputed mosque in Sanjauli, a suburb of Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shimla, is not stopping. After the violent protests in Sanjauli on Wednesday, the city’s businessmen took to the streets of Shimla on Thursday. The businessmen are angry over the police lathicharge on the people protesting against the illegal construction in the mosque. The businessmen took out a procession and recited Hanuman Chalisa on the road.
Many businessmen were also involved in the violent protest by Hindus in Sanjauli. Some businessmen were injured in the lathicharge. Angry businessmen have locked their shops. On the call of Shimla Vyapar Mandal, businessmen took out a protest rally from Sher-e-Punjab via Lower Bazaar to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. The protesting businessmen raised slogans demanding dismissal of SP Shimla. The businessmen say that it is absolutely not right for the police to lathicharge the protesting Hindus.
On the call of Shimla Vyapar Mandal, all the main markets of the city were closed for half a day. Shops of Shimla’s famous Mall Road, Lower Bazaar, Ram Bazaar, Kusumpti, Panthaghati and Lakkar Bazaar remained closed since morning.
Sanjauli market closed for the second consecutive day
The entire market of Sanjauli, which came into the news due to the disputed mosque, is also closed. The business associations of the suburbs have also kept the shops closed against the lathicharge. Shops in the suburbs of Dhali, Tutu and Baluganj are also locked.
This was said by the head of Shimla Business Board
Shimla Vyapar Mandal President Sanjeev Thakur has said that shops have been closed from 10 am to 1 pm in protest against the lathicharge incident on the Hindu community in Sanjauli. He said that this shutdown is only for three hours and through this we want to make our voice heard to the administration. He said that local businessman and BJP’s assembly candidate from Shimla urban area Sanjay Sood has also been injured in the lathicharge in Sanjauli. He has injuries on his face. He said that lathicharge on Sanjay Sood and other leaders is wrong. He also said that strict action should be taken against those people who have come from outside states and are doing their business here without revealing their identity. He warned the administration that if this is not done then the movement will be intensified further.
Shimla police registered three FIRs on the protest in Sanjauli
On Wednesday, the protesters created a ruckus in the suburb Sanjauli. The protesters broke the barricades put up by the police and entered the Sanjauli market. The protesters reached 100 meters close to the disputed mosque site, disregarding Section 163. The protesters gathered here for hours and kept raising slogans. During this, the protesters also clashed with the police. The police used lathis and water cannons to disperse the protesters. Shimla Police has registered three separate cases in Dhali Police Station regarding this violent protest.
12 people including six policemen injured
A dozen people have been injured in the clash between protesters and police near the disputed mosque site in Sanjauli. These include six police personnel. DGP Atul Verma has confirmed that six police personnel, including a woman police constable, have been injured. However, everyone’s condition is out of danger.
This constable got injured
The injured include constables Praveen Sharma, Dinesh, Pooja, Khemraj, Shubham and another. Among the protesters, Bhupinder, Raju, Pooja, Nishant, Sahil, Kishore and Shyam Chopra have been injured.
Report: UK Sharma
