The district administration in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, revoked permission for the 'Varah March' proposed by the 'Sanatan Prahari Samiti' on 15 September 2026, citing security concerns and the imperative to maintain law and order. A heavy police force was mobilised across the city, and several office-bearers linked to the march were arrested on Tuesday morning, as authorities moved swiftly to prevent communal tension at a historically contested site.

What Led to the Crackdown

Assistant Superintendent of Police Vijay Dawar confirmed that the permission was cancelled over security concerns, appealing to residents to maintain peace and avoid unnecessary movement outside their homes. In tandem, the administration ordered the immediate removal of all posters and hoardings related to the proposed march.

Anticipating possible unrest, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) kept the protected structure at Ganjikhana closed to the public on Tuesday. The ASI issued a formal order warning that any unauthorised entry or activity would attract action under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

Scale of Security Deployment

Authorities mounted a substantial security apparatus across Dhar. A large contingent comprising nearly two dozen Station House Officers (SHOs) along with officers of Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) ranks was deployed. Fixed police pickets were established at the PG College ground and major intersections, while mobile vans conducted continuous patrols.

Surveillance was carried out through CCTV cameras, drones, and observers posted atop high-rise buildings. Forces were positioned in sensitive areas, and outsiders were advised not to visit Dhar for the time being. Security was set to be tightened further during the window originally proposed for the march.

The Contested Structure at the Centre of the Row

The site in question — the protected archaeological structure at Ganjikhana — is referred to as 'Vijay Mandir' (Temple of Victory) by Hindu groups and as 'Lat Masjid' by the Muslim community. Historically, the mosque was constructed in 1405 CE by Dilawar Khan as a Friday mosque to mark his declaration of independence from Delhi and the founding of the Malwa Sultanate. Its name, reportedly, derives from a fragmentary iron pillar — known as 'Lat' in Hindi — located within its compound.

Hindu organisations, however, maintain that the structure predates the Malwa Sultanate and was originally a temple commissioned by King Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty (early 9th century) following his conquest of the Telangana region. They point to a pillar featuring an image of Lord Varaha and an 'Ashtadhatu' (eight-metal alloy) rust-resistant pillar — which they claim bears a Varaha image and was installed by King Bhoja — as evidence of its temple origins.

How the Bhojshala Ruling Intensified the Dispute

The current controversy reportedly intensified after the Bhojshala site in Dhar was handed over to Hindu organisations. Groups emboldened by that development have since pressed their claim over the Lat Masjid structure, lending the Varah March a charged political and religious context that the district administration deemed too volatile to permit. This is not the first time that competing claims over historical structures in Madhya Pradesh have required police action — the pattern echoes earlier flashpoints in Vidisha and Burhanpur.

As the situation remains tense, all eyes will be on whether Dhar's administration can hold the peace while the broader legal and religious dispute over the Ganjikhana structure finds a longer-term resolution.