Crime

Mosque in Srinagar vandalised by unidentified persons, FIR registered

The investigations are still going on and no one can be blamed for it so far, says Police

Srinagar: A local Masjid in Botakadal area of Srinagar was vandalised by unidentified persons on the night of May 19. An FIR has been lodged against the incident in the police station, Lal Bazar. The investigations are still going on.

Locals say that a petrol bomb was hurled inside the Masjid Maula Ali located at Bagh-e-Ali Mardan, Botakadal at around 12 in the night.

“My brother Syed Hussain goes to the Masjid for Azaan and when he went there the carpets, curtains, paint and many other things inside the Masjid had gotten damaged, ” says Syed Ali Shah, the caretaker’s brother.

The locals say that the forces are always present in the areas.

“The CRPF personnel are always around, especially since August 5 when Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated from the Indian Constitution. After the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only Azaan (the call for the prayer) would be given inside the Masjid. With the CRPF around, we do not understand how anyone would hurl a petrol bomb inside the Masjid,” ask the locals.

An FIR No. 42 U/S 436 of Indian Penal Code has been registered in the Lal Bazar Police station.

According to Sub-Inspector handling the case, Siraj u Din, the investigations are still going on and no one can be blamed for it so far.

“We went on the spot and found some pieces of glass on the floor. There were some glass bottles but since there was no smell, we cannot say if it was a petrol bomb or not. A window has also gotten damaged. We have recorded the statements of locals. We will send the samples, including coal from a burnt window, taken to Forensic Laboratory and investigate further as per the results,” says Sub-Inspector Siraj u Din.

 

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