Hindu groups perform havan after Jamia Masjid sealed in Dehradun
Dehradun : Tensions gripped Thano area of Uttarakhand state after the authorities sealed the Jamia Masjid.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the authorities acted after the Uttarakhand High Court dismissed a plea by Jamia Masjid Society in February. The mosque committee said the court order was for a 20×40 ft room built in 2023, but the entire mosque was sealed without adequate legal hearing.
Following the sealing, members of Hindu groups including Kali Sena performed a havan at the site and raised slogans like “Masjid Swaha”. Kali Sena leader Bhupesh Joshi had earlier called the mosque an “illegal occupation” near a temple and served a vacate notice on June 1.
Muslim representatives said the action was taken under pressure from Hindutva groups and said sealing the full complex has created fear and restricted access to prayer areas. They are considering legal recourse.
The incident has heightened communal tension in Dehradun, part of a wider pattern of anti-mosque campaign in Uttarakhand and other Indian states.
Analysts note that a smear campaign targeting mosques has intensified across India since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014. Disputes over alleged encroachments, “illegal” structures and historical claims have repeatedly put Muslim places of worship under scrutiny in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and other states, raising concerns about rising communal polarisation and insecurity among the Muslim community.
