Mandi residents demand excavation of mosque site

A dispute has erupted over an alleged illegal mosque in Mandi, with locals seeking an archaeological excavation of the site. The demand came up following claims that the mosque, located on Jail Road, was constructed over the remains of an ancient Hindu temple.

Locals on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan, seeking excavation of the site by the Archaeological Department. They said if the site was excavated, the remains of a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva would be uncovered.

Gagan Pradip Behal, a Mandi resident, said the area once housed a dome-shaped temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Behal claimed that kings who ruled the area had originally given the site to Kashmiri settlers, but it was later occupied by Muslim migrants from Uttar Pradesh who built the mosque.

The call for excavation comes amid heightened tension in HP. Last Friday, a large protest was organised near the mosque by Hindu organisations demanding its demolition. The demonstration escalated after protesters attempted to breach barricades set up by the police. Later, the police used water cannons to disperse the crowd.

Local sentiments have been polarised on the issue, with many residents expressing frustration over the mosque's construction. Some residents argued that a road widening project in the area by the Public Works Department provided an opportunity for a thorough archaeological investigation of the site.