The mosque, spread across four guntas, was part of a 14-acre private land which was sold to a private company.
Team Clarion
HYDERABAD — The 200-year-old Qutub Shahi Masjid in the city’s Moinabad area was razed to the ground allegedly by land grabbers drawing strong indignation from local people and leaders.
According to locals, it is not known when the mosque was demolished. The destructive action was noticed by some people who happened to have a peep inside the desolate and abandoned mosque on Monday. The debris and other dismantled materials were removed from the spot after demolishing the religious place.
An official told mediapersons that the mosque, spread across four guntas, was part of a 14-acre private land which was sold to a private company. During the clean-up of the land, the centuries-old mosque was demolished. As per the revenue records, it has been identified as Waqf land and immediate action was initiated for reconstruction of the mosque.
According to Ch. Srinivas, DCP Rajendranagar zone, a JCB was used to raze the iconic mosque. A complaint was lodged at Moinabad police station after the police reached the spot. “The driver has been arrested and JCB earthmover seized. Special teams are on the hunt for all those involved,” said the DCP.
A case has been booked under Sections 329 (3) (criminal trespass), 324 (4 and 5) (mischief causing loss), 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class), 196 (promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 300 (disturbing religious assembly) r/w Section 3 (Mischief causing damage to public property) of Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act.
Telangana Waqf Board Chairman Azmathullah Hussaini, AIMIM MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig and officials of the Minority Welfare Department, senior government officials and community leaders also reached the spot to take stock of the situation.
Principal Secretary Minority Welfare Department Tafseer Iqbal said: “The foundation for a new mosque is laid and namaz was offered in the evening. The mosque will be reconstructed at the earliest”.
A temporary structure and shed have been set up to facilitate the offering of namaz.
Political activist Amjed Ullah Khan said it was a matter of great anguish that the mosque was razed to the ground. “It happened because the mosque was abandoned and nobody offered prayes there. There are other inactive mosques in the area as well and locals should offer namaz at them. Earlier also, a mosque was demolished in Shamerpeth area as it was inactive. It was rebuilt,” he said.
