Karnataka: Mob forcibly performs Dussehra puja in madrasa, 9 booked
Members of a Dussehra procession allegedly broke into a heritage madrasa shouting slogans of "Jai Shree Ram" and performed a puja at the corner of a structure in Bidar of Karnataka in the wee hours of Thursday. Police booked nine persons and reportedly arrested four in the case. Muslim organizations have threatened to launch protests if all the culprits aren't arrested by Friday.
Why does this story matter?
Karnataka has been a hotbed of communal violence in the recent past. Data furnished by the state government in the Assembly last month shows that Karnataka has witnessed 163 communal incidents since 2019. In August, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations were marked at Hubbali's Idgah ground. The controversy surrounding the hijab ban in educational institutions starting from Udupi has further polarized the atmosphere.
Muslim groups across the country condemned the incident
Mob broke lock, forced their way into the madrasa
The structure in question, Mahmud Gawan Madrasa, was built in the 1460s and is a designated heritage site maintained by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). It is also listed as a monument of national importance. The mob entered the madrasa by breaking its lock, said police as per NDTV's report. A video of the incident went viral, flaring up protests demanding action.
Such acts aimed at demeaning Muslims: Owaisi
Personnel deployed near madrasa to prevent unrest
The mob broke into the madrasa and splashed vermilion, reported Hindustan Times. People claimed that the mob cracked a coconut there during the puja, damaging the structure. While media reports said four were arrested in the case, police have not yet confirmed it. Those booked were charged with trespassing. The police deployed personnel near the madrasa to maintain law and order in the area.
