Five mosques demolished in India as 18 remain under threat

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — The demolition of several mosques in the western Indian city of Pune has heightened anxiety among Muslims after authorities moved against religious structures in a late-night operation that residents say disproportionately targets their community and places of worship.

Municipal authorities in Pimpri Chinchwad, a major industrial township adjoining Pune city in Maharashtra state, have issued demolition notices to 31 religious structures in Kudalwadi, a densely populated locality on the city’s outskirts. According to The Hindustan Gazette, 18 of those structures are mosques, with five already demolished in recent days.

The latest operation unfolded during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, when the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), backed by police, carried out a demolition drive against 11 structures, including mosques and a temple, which authorities described as “unauthorized.”

The demolitions triggered clashes between residents and police as crowds gathered to protest the overnight action. Stone-pelting was reported, prompting police to use a mild baton charge to disperse demonstrators. Authorities later registered criminal cases against two individuals detained at the scene and hundreds of unidentified people accused of participating in the unrest.

For many Muslims in the area, however, the controversy extends beyond questions of construction permits. Community members argue that the pattern and timing of the demolitions have fueled perceptions of selective enforcement at a time when bulldozer actions against Muslim neighborhoods and religious sites have become increasingly contentious across India.

The current dispute traces back to notices issued by the civic body in April 2025 to 31 religious structures in Kudalwadi, including 18 mosques and 13 temples. Although no immediate action followed, the places of worship remained under threat. 

Barely a month before the latest operation, authorities demolished four religious structures in the locality — two mosques and two temples. With this week’s late-night drive, the total number of razed structures has now risen to 15, including seven mosques and seven temples. 

Action against the remaining sites is expected after pending appeals before various authorities are decided.

Muslim groups have intensified efforts to prevent further demolitions. Representatives of the Raza Academy recently met Prakash Ambedkar, leader of the Vanchit Bahujan Agadi and grandson of Indian constitutional architect B.R. Ambedkar, seeking support to protect the remaining mosques and facilitate dialogue with authorities.

Trustees associated with some of the affected mosques maintain that the land on which the structures stand is privately owned or belongs to religious trusts. They argue that the dispute concerns municipal building approvals rather than ownership of the land itself and have urged authorities to regularize the structures rather than demolish them.

Several mosques have challenged the notices before the Waqf Board, which oversees Muslim charitable and religious properties. According to mosque representatives, the Board has stayed coercive action against six mosques until the next hearing scheduled for June 24.

Residents also questioned why the demolitions were conducted under the cover of darkness rather than during daytime hours. They argue that places of worship occupy a unique place in community life and that sudden overnight actions risk deepening mistrust and communal tensions.