Protest Against Religious Site Turns Violent; 29 Injured in Uttarkashi Rally with Stone-Throwing at Police
Uttarkashi: The administration underestimated a mass protest rally held by a religious organization opposing a mosque in Uttarkashi, resulting in chaos during the Hindu Janakrosh rally. Protesters clashed with the police, who had set up barricades on the road leading to the mosque. When the police attempted to control the crowd with a baton charge, the protesters retaliated with stone-throwing, injuring 29 people on both sides.
On Thursday, a large crowd gathered at Hanuman Chowk in the district headquarters for the protest. Various speakers, including Swami Darshanlal Bharti from Dehradun, Lakhpat Bhandari from Srinagar, Rakesh Uttarakhandi, and Keshavanand Giri from Barkot, addressed the rally. They urged people to avoid shopping at stores owned by people from other communities and to demonstrate unity, warning that they could become a minority in the future if they failed to unite.
Video clash between protestors and Police:
The Sanatan Dharma Raksha Dal, deeming a religious site illegal, had called for a shutdown in Uttarkashi and organized this mass protest rally. Participants, including trade union members, gathered at Hanuman Chowk at 12:30 p.m. and demanded action against the alleged encroachment by outsiders on local lands. The rally, which moved towards Bhatwari Road, was stopped by police barricades just meters from the religious site.
The rally had been scheduled in advance, with anticipation of crowd unrest. Protesters, initially chanting “Om Namah Shivaya,” requested that the authorities allow them to proceed peacefully toward the Kandar Devta Temple. However, the administration declined, citing a predetermined route and the imposition of prohibitory orders ahead. Some agitators in the crowd began throwing stones at the police, who responded with a baton charge to disperse them. In the clash, 29 people, including Swami Darshan Bharti, nine police officers, and a child, sustained injuries. Two police officers and the injured child were referred to Dehradun for treatment. Protesters requested the presence of the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, who, however, arrived only after the baton charge. Protestors criticized the late arrival, suggesting that timely intervention might have prevented the escalation.
The protesters further said that more than 200 of the approximately 300 persons affected by the Varunawat landslide had received compensation from the government so such land could not be used for construction. They also said that Varunawat is considered sacred by the Hindus who circumambulate the mountain. Considering these factors, it is not proper to construct a mosque at the location, they said.
Amit Srivastava, SP, Uttarkashi media statement after violence : 
Call for Shutdown in Uttarkashi Following Baton Charge and Stone-Throwing, Prohibitory Orders Across the District
After a baton charge and incidents of stone-throwing, tensions remain high in Uttarkashi. The District Magistrate, Meharban Singh Bisht has imposed Section 163 B.N.S.S. prohibitory orders across the entire district. A late evening meeting between district administration and police was held to discuss maintaining law and order. Meanwhile, the United Sanatan Dharma Raksha Sangh expressed dissatisfaction over the police’s baton charge and the barricading at the Vishwanath Tri-junction.
The United Sanatan Dharma Raksha Sangh has called for a shutdown of the Uttarkashi market on Friday, along with a warning to block the Gangotri National Highway. Swami Darshan Bharti, coordinator of the Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan, stated that if prayers are held at the mosque in Uttarkashi on Friday, a more intense protest and market shutdown will follow, for which the district administration will be held responsible. He emphasized that Section 163 should apply not only to Hindus but to all communities equally.
