Chitradurga
Tension erupted in Chitradurga’s Sadiq Nagar area after a dispute broke out between Hindu and Muslim residents over the construction of a new mosque. The controversy reportedly began after municipal officials allegedly permitted the project without following due legal procedures, prompting strong opposition from Hindu residents and community leaders.
The locality, established in 2003 by former Deputy Commissioner M.A. Sadiq to provide housing for poor laborers, consists of around 200 homes, mostly belonging to Hindus. The area already has three Hindu temples, while about 10–15 Muslim families live there without a mosque. Seeking a place of worship, Muslim leaders purchased private land in the area to build one. However, locals opposed the move, pointing out that two mosques already exist nearby in Saraswatipuram and Suryaputra Circle.
Hindu residents have accused municipal and urban development officials, as well as certain elected representatives, of supporting the “unauthorized” mosque construction. They have brought the issue to the attention of District In-charge Minister Dr. Sudhakar and demanded that the construction be immediately halted.
Municipal Commissioner Lakshmi clarified that while the mosque project had been granted council approval, the necessary public notification and approval process were bypassed. She confirmed that the permission file was found to be irregular and that the ongoing construction has been ordered to stop pending further review.