A court in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, has ordered the demolition of three stories of the disputed Sanjauli Mosque, allowing the mosque committee two months to complete the process. The decision comes amid rising tensions after several groups claimed that the mosque was constructed illegally, prompting protests from certain Hindu organizations.

The Shimla Municipal Commissioner’s court has scheduled the next hearing for December 21. It also dismissed a request from local residents to intervene in the ongoing case regarding the mosque. According to the court ruling, the mosque committee will bear the costs associated with the demolition.

Advocate B.S. Thakur, representing the Muslim Waqf Board, explained that the court accepted the mosque committee’s proposal to demolish the portions of the structure that exceed permissible limits. He emphasized that the court's ruling is an interim order and that a final decision is still pending.

The controversy surrounding the Sanjauli Mosque escalated on September 11 when a protest demanding the demolition of part of the mosque turned violent, resulting in injuries to ten people. In response to similar protests in Mandi just two days later, authorities had to deploy water cannons to disperse the crowd, which echoed the demands made in Sanjauli and increased pressure on local officials to act promptly.