Tension flared in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur area on March 3 following a dispute over the expansion of a mosque in Lane Number 12 of Brahmpuri. Residents reported an incident of stone-pelting during the night of March 2 and March 3, which led them to approach the police for intervention. Fearing communal unrest, several Hindu families living near the Shiv Mandir, located just 10 steps away from the mosque, have put up “house for sale” signs on their properties. Approximately 15 Hindu families in Gali Number 12, near the proposed new gate of Al Mateen Masjid, have accused the local Muslim community of creating disturbances and pressuring them to vacate their homes. These families are concerned that there is an effort to alter the area’s demographic composition.
Hindu Residents Express Concerns Amid Mosque Expansion
As reported by OpIndia, 60-year-old Radha Verma, a local resident, recalled the fear she had experienced during past riots. She mentioned that when riots broke out, her daughter-in-law was pregnant, and they lived in constant fear. She expressed that no one should have to live under such circumstances. While she acknowledged that the mosque expansion might seem like a minor issue, she emphasized that in a place where tensions could escalate quickly, the safest option for them was to sell their house and leave as soon as possible.
Pandit Shankar, another resident, shared similar concerns, mentioning that they had lived in the area for many years but did not want to take any chances. 40-year-old Sushila, another local, expressed her worries about the potential impact of the mosque expansion on the already overcrowded lanes. She stated that the lanes were already very narrow, and expanding the mosque would only intensify the tension.
According to locals, two 75-square-yard plots in Lane Number 12 were combined to facilitate the mosque’s expansion into Lane Number 13.
Some residents have raised concerns that during festivals, large crowds could gather, potentially causing problems for both communities. They also allege that the mosque’s expansion is being intentionally pushed forward to pressure Hindu families into leaving the area. Additionally, accusations have been made against young Muslim men of hurling abuses, causing disturbances at night, and even pelting stones at Hindu homes.
Praveen Sharma, a 40-year-old resident of Gali Number-12, who had also put up a “house for sale” sign, while speaking to the media, said that their decision to leave the area was due to various challenges they had faced as a result of the increasing Muslim population in the locality. He mentioned that the main Seelampur-Brahmpuri Road was about 200 meters from their house, and for decades, they had used a lane to access it. However, in the past ten years, nearly 20 per cent of the Hindu properties in that lane had been bought by Muslims, including a building that had been converted into a mosque in 2013. Sharma stated that Muslim youths often harassed their women and girls with lewd remarks, and as a result, they had stopped using the lane to reach the main road.
Another Hindu resident, 48-year-old Shankar Lal Gautam, shared that the situation had worsened over the past two years when a 150-square-yard property, once owned by a Hindu family behind the mosque, had been sold to six Muslim buyers and later gifted to the mosque committee. He explained that they had raised objections when they learned that a new gate leading towards the Shiva temple in Gali Number-12 was planned. Gautam added that this would cause difficulties for Hindu devotees visiting the temple and celebrating festivals. He further mentioned that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had approved the construction of a house, not the expansion of the mosque. According to Gautam, their protest was aimed at preventing potential communal tension due to the mosque’s proximity to the temple.
Police on High Alert, Construction Halted
Construction work for the mosque expansion initially began in November 2023 but was halted following complaints from residents. In November 2024, local Muslims obtained permission from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the expansion, and construction resumed in February 2025. However, on February 13, area residents lodged a complaint alleging illegal construction. The police clarified that the mosque committee had obtained the necessary permissions, but the residents continued to oppose the construction of the new entry gate.
On February 18, the MCD issued a notice and stopped the construction once again. The show-cause notice issued by the MCD stated that the construction map had been approved under false pretences, with the map being approved under the residential category despite its intended use for expansion.
Further investigations revealed that six donors from the Muslim community had contributed the land for the mosque to the Al Matin Welfare Society in April 2024. The society’s president, Abdul Matin, resides in Nizamuddin West.
In response to a complaint about stone-pelting, the police launched an investigation but reported finding no evidence in the available CCTV footage. Both the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and the Station House Officer (SHO) visited the area to speak with residents, although no formal complaint has been filed.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation. On March 4, the police temporarily barricaded the area between 10 AM and 3 PM, restricting access to the lane. Once the situation stabilized, the barricades were removed.
