Madhya Pradesh police probing the violence that preceded the partial demolition of the Shahi Masjid in Ujjain have claimed that five social media influencers uploaded reels to “spread propaganda against the religion in society”.

Five social media influencers, all residents of Ujjain, have been booked by the police under sections of promoting enmity, outraging religious feelings, circulating false information, etc.

The police case registered at Kharakua police station provides one of the clearest windows into the online activity in the hours before the violence. The complaint names the holders of several Instagram and Facebook accounts and records specific posts that police say were being circulated on September 27, the day before the confrontation between police personnel and locals opposing the demolition.

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The police have alleged that these social media influencers had also been protesting at the mosque site. The police FIR has alleged they were “making reels, uploading videos and posting them on social media for the purpose of organising the protest, spreading propaganda against the religion in society, disturbing public peace and attempting to incite people”.

Among them is the Instagram account which police claimed belongs to one Sajid Khan. According to the complaint, a video uploaded through the account said that police had arrived with a JCB at the Shahi Masjid and urged people to reach the mosque “as soon as possible”. Another account allegedly belongs to Imran.

The police case also names Facebook accounts allegedly associated with Gulrez Khan, Billu Pathan and Arif Pathan, who are accused of circulating videos urging people to reach the mosque at around 2 am. “There is a strong possibility that this may disturb social and religious harmony in the city,” the FIR reads.

Police also said a faction of the mosque committee disgruntled by the demolition was responsible for mobilising the crowd.

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On Monday morning, the tension that had built up around the Shahi Masjid the previous night spiralled into violence as a large crowd gathered at the site, where the administration was preparing to remove the portion of the mosque falling within the proposed road alignment for the upcoming Simhastha 2028.

Police and security personnel deployed around the mosque faced stone-pelting, following which tear gas shells and a lathi charge were used to disperse the crowd. The police arrested 15 persons and filed eight FIRs across three police stations. Investigators are also examining more than 100 Instagram accounts and posts, along with CCTV and drone footage.