KALABURAGI — The Karnataka Police have beefed up security in the surrounding areas of Laadle Mahak Dargah on Wednesday after the court allowed Hindus to carry out Raghava Chaitanya Shivling worship on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri.
The security has been arranged under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police (SPs) from Kalaburagi and Raichur districts. The police department has deputed 1,150 police personnel to avoid any untoward incident. Besides, tight security arrangements have also been made in Aland town.
The controversy surrounding the worship of the Raghava Chaitanya Shivling, installed within the premises of the Laadle Mashak Dargah. On Tuesday, the High Court, while considering a petition filed by Hindu organisations, granted permission for the worship of the Raghava Chaitanya Shivling between 2 and 6 p.m. on February 26, on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. However, the court has not permitted Andola Siddalinga Seer to attend the worship.
Hindu activists had approached the court seeking permission to worship the Shivling at the dargah.
The court has allowed 15 Hindu activists, including the petitioner Siddaramaiah Hiremath, to perform the worship.
Additionally, it has directed the petitioner to submit a list of participants along with their Aadhaar cards to the district administration ahead of the worship.
Laadle Mashak Dargah is named after Laadle Mashak, a Sufi saint, who won the hearts of people in the 14th century.
The premises of the dargah have the ‘Samadhi’ of Hindu saint Ragahava Chaitanya, who lived in the 15th century. According to sources, Raghava Chaitanya is the guru of Samarth Ramadas, who was revered by Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji.
The Shivling is erected on the Samadhi of Raghava Chaitanya and is known as Raghava Chaitanya Shivling.
As the difference cropped up between the Hindu and Muslim communities, the matter of ownership of land has reached the court.
Hindus who visited Laadle Mashaak Dargah also used to worship Raghava Chaitanya Shivling.
The previous year, Shivratri and Urus were celebrated on the same day and the court had permitted both Muslims and Hindus to carry out worshipping.
The Muslims were given time between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Hindus were allowed from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The court had allowed only 15 persons from the Hindu community to carry the worshipping.
In 2022, Karnataka Police arrested 167 persons, including 10 women in connection with the incident of communal violence that rocked Aland town of Kalaburagi district on the day of Maha Shivratri. The district administration had clamped prohibitory orders in the town following large-scale violence. –IANS
