Bareilly, Jan. 20 -- Mohammadganj village in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, has neither a temple nor a mosque due to a pact dating back to a decades-old dispute over religious practices. The village has been known for its delicate communal harmony due to the pact disallowing both Hindu and Muslim families from building religious sites in the village.

However, the dispute around building a madrasa that led to the agreement 30 years ago resurfaced after a group of 12 Muslim men were arrested for offering Friday prayers inside an empty house "without permission."

According to Maktoob Media, elderly residents of Mohammadganj said the village, known for its peaceful arrangement, was maintaining the precarious balance to avoid disputes. Local resid...