A mob that was part of a Dussehra procession allegedly entered a heritage Madrasa in Karnataka’s Bidar area on Wednesday night and performed a pooja, reported NDTV. Cases were registered against nine people and four were arrested.
The incident occurred at Mahmud Gawan Madrasa in Bidar which was built in the period of 1460s. It is a designated heritage site under the Archeological Survey of India. The heritage structure is placed under the list of monuments of national importance.
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Additional Superintendent of Police, Mahesh Meghannavar said that nine were booked on charges of trespassing into the madrasa, The Indian Express reported. The nine persons were booked based on a complaint filed by one Syed Mubhashir Ali at Market Police Station.
Police said that the mob had broken the lock of the madrasa and entered its premises.
According to the NDTV report, many Muslim organisations from Bidar have called out the incident and have said that they will hold massive protests after Friday prayers, if arrests were not made. The crowd reportedly chanted “Jai Shri Ram”, “Hindu Dharma Jai” slogans, on the steps of the madrassa, before moving to the corner of the building to perform pooja.
Videos of the act went viral on social media.
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All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted the video on Thursday night and questioned how the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government “allowed this to happen” that would “demean Muslims”.
Heavy police deployment was present outside the madrasa, following the incident.