Published Oct 16, 2022 | 8:39 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 16, 2022 | 9:01 PM
Screengrab of the incident at the Qutub Shahi mosque from the video uploaded by Amjed Ullah Khan.
Tensions prevailed on Sunday, 16 October, at the Qutub Shahi Mosque in Shaikpet in Hyderabad as mosque officials accused unidentified trespassers of vandalising some parts of the premises.
The police, however, told South First that was a case of temple relocation.
The matter came to light when a video posted by Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan began circulating on social media.
It showed a group of people entering the mosque premises after removing the metal sheets that formed the boundary.
Tagging Telangana Urban Affairs and IT Minister KT Rama Rao, Khan said “hundreds of anti-social elements barged into Qutub Shahi Masjid in Shaikpet” by breaking its gate open and “constructed a religious structure (Mandir) and performed puja” in the presence of the police.
He alleged that the police were “mute spectators” during the entire episode.
.@KTRTRS Sir, hundreds of anti-social elements barged into Qutub Shahi Masjid in Shaikpet breaking its gate open and constructed a religious structure (Mandir) and performed puja right in presence of @psraidurgam_cyb mute spectator./1@TelanganaDGP @cpcybd @cyberabadpolice pic.twitter.com/rbjzJaM0q6
— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) October 16, 2022
Members of the management committee of the mosque alleged that the group performed rituals and installed the idol of a deity.
In another video posted by Khan on YouTube, members of the mosque can be seen pointing to a religious structure, which they claimed was built at night.
They alleged that people from another community were trying to build a temple on the mosque premises.
The members alerted the cops and the officials of the Waqf Board officials, who then reached the spot.
In the video, the members of the mosque committed could also be seen arguing with the police and accusing the police of favouring the other group and letting them carry on with their “illegal activity.”
Meanwhile, as soon as the news of damage to the boundary spread, locals also gathered at the spot, due to which the police had to deploy forces in the area.
As per the police, the temple was being relocated by the people, who did not enter the mosque by use of force.
“There is 18 gunta of land, which is claimed by the Revenue Department of the Telangana government,” N Tirupathi, the station house officer at the Raidurgam Police Station, told South First on Sunday.
A gunta is a South Asian unit used to measure area.
“The temple was extending to the middle of the road, so it is being relocated. As the mosque gate was locked, so the people used the boundary area to go to the relocation spot,” added the police officer.
While mentioning that the situation was under control, he also said that the ownership of the land was yet to be clarified.
“It is a matter of contest between the Waqf Board and the Revenue Department. The Waqf Board members are supposed to produce the documents tomorrow,” Tirupathi said.
