Published Oct 07, 2022 | 8:16 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 07, 2022 | 8:18 PM
The police have arrested four people in connection with the case of people barging into an ASI-protected mosque and madrasa in Karnataka. (Creative Commons)
Four people have been arrested by the police in the Bidar district of Karnataka based on an FIR registered after a video of around 70 men entering the centuries-old Archeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument — the Mahmud Gawan Masjid and Madrasa — and allegedly attempting to desecrate it, went viral on Thursday, 6 October.
The police registered a case based on complaints from Muslim outfits. The complaints stated that during a Dasara procession around 2 am on Thursday, several Hindu fundamentalists broke open the gate of the Mahmud Gawaan Masjid in Bidar and barged inside.
The video that went viral showed a group of men already on the mosque premises, shouting slogans such as Bolo Bhavani Mata ki, Jai Shri Ram ki, and Hindu Dharm Ki Jai.
The video also showed a procession for Durga idol immersion, with music playing, standing outside the mosque and a police vehicle behind it, with a few policemen in its vicinity.
The ancient mosque and its madrasa — an Islamic college — were built in the 1460s and are a heritage structure on the list of monuments of national importance, according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The video of the incident has created ripples on social media.
AIMIM president and Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted: “Visuals from historic Mahmud Gawan masjid and madarasa, Bidar, #Karnataka, (5th October). Extremists broke the gate lock and attempted to desecrate. @bidar_police @BSBommai how can you allow this to happen? BJP is promoting such activity only to demean Muslims [sic].”
Visuals from historic Mahmud Gawan masjid & madrasa, Bidar, #Karnataka (5th October). Extremists broke the gate lock & attempted to desecrate. @bidar_police @BSBommai how can you allow this to happen? BJP is promoting such activity only to demean Muslims pic.twitter.com/WDw1Gd1b93
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) October 6, 2022
Several Muslim leaders of various organisations filed complaints with the local police regarding this incident.
In their complaints, they alleged that it had become a habit of fundamentalists to throw garbage and waste materials on the mosque premises to provoke tensions with a minority community.
With pressure mounting from all quarters, the cops had no choice other than to register an FIR and investigate the incident.
Based on the complaints, the police have booked around 69 of the accused, of whom nine have been identified as Naresh Gouli, Munna Chowbara, Sagar Banti, Jagdish Gouli Galli, Arun Gouli, Ganesh Gouli, Gorak Gouli, and mechanics Prakash and Vinu.
The accused have been booked under IPC Sections 143 and 149 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 447 (criminal trespass) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).
However, the police sources had a different story to tell. After the preliminary probe, the cops said that there was no breaking of the lock to enter the mosque as the police were present in front of it.
According to the police, there was also a traditional practice followed at the Mahmud Madrasa twice in a year, when the Muslims keep one of the “minars” open for the Hindus to perform puja.
According to senior police officers, five-six Hindus come and perform puja at the minar twice every year.
However, this time around 70 of them entered, “and hence we are investigating,” the officer added.
