Shillong: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Tuesday, April 14, targeted a mosque and shut it down, alleging it was illegally built in Meghalaya’s Shillong city.
Tensions prevailed in the Lower Lumparing area of the city when the students’ union claimed that the mosque was constructed without legal permits from local authorities.
“Muslims had constructed the Masjid illegally on this land without obtaining permission from the locality or from the concerned authorities,” said KSU’s Laban Circle leader Shiningstar Chyne.
The KSU claimed that the structure was previously allotted for a chowkidar’s house to supervise a nearby Muslim graveyard. However, it was later converted into a mosque, according to the student group.
“Construction was carried out without permission, and the purpose of the structure was changed,” Chyne said.
Videos circulating online show the KSU members confronting the resident Imam at the Lumparing Masjid and demanding that he leave. They accused him of staying at the site illegally and performing religious activities without authorisation.
The Dorbar Shnong, the traditional village council of the Khasi people, had earlier inspected the mosque after receiving complaints from locals and reportedly decided to remove the structure, the union stated. However, no action was taken at the time.
The students’ union said it will escalate the matter and request intervention from higher authorities to ensure the complete removal of the mosque. There was no immediate response from the district administration.
