Protesters led by the local Sena corporator block traffic at Sanpada flyover

NAVI MUMBAI: A large group of residents from Sanpada node blocked the busy Sion-Panvel highway at the Sanpada flyover for two and a half hours on Tuesday morning to protest against the allotment of a plot in sector 8 for a mosque and a green signal for its construction.

A traffic nightmare was averted after the protesters, led by local politicians, blocked both carriageways around 10am as cops diverted vehicles along Palm Beach Road. The police detained more than 100 agitators before they were able to disperse the crowd around 12.30pm.

The protestors claim a majority of residents in Sanpada is Hindu and so there is no need for a mosque in the locality. "Sanpada residents are neither against the Muslim community nor against the construction of a mosque. But our demand is that Cidco should allot a plot in an area where there is a majority of Muslim community members," said local Shiv Sena corporator Somnath Vaskar.

When contacted, Cidco's social service officer Pramod Jadhav said he is not aware of the issue. Despite repeated attempts, Cidco MD Lokesh Chandra was unavailable for comments.

"We arrested 15 leading protestors, including the local corporator and office bearers of the NGO that had organised the morcha," said senior inspector Suraj Padvi. They were booked under IPC sections for wrongful restraint, creating obstacles on public way and for unlawful assembly. As the offences are bailable, they were released after an hour.

"We also want an inquiry against former police inspector M M Patil, who had given an NOC to the civic body for issuing commencement certificate for construction of the mosque without consent of his seniors," said Ghanshyam Pate of the Akhil Sanpada Rahivashi Mahasangh.

"There are two churches, one gurudwara and five temples in Sanpada node and our trust wants to build the first mosque for 750 families in 24 sectors," said Abdul Dadan, 59, president of the Tanzim-ul-Muslimeen Society. He claimed that every Friday, around 1,400 devotees offer namaaz in three shifts at a rental one BHK flat in Sanpada. During Eid, the number of namaazis increases to around 3,500.

In 2008, the police gave NOC, and the trust paid Rs 67 lakh to acquire the plot after the state government gave permission. After protests, the trust moved the high court, which has ruled in their favour, said Dadan.

