Karnataka: Tension in Belagavi after Quran, Hadith copies found burnt

Karanataka: Tension erupted in Belagavi district, Karnataka, after three copies of the Quran and Hadith were found burned in a field on Monday, May 12. The incident reportedly occurred in the Santi Bastawad village on May 11, when unknown individuals entered an under-construction mosque, took three copies of the religious texts kept for prayer, and removed them from the premises.

The following day, as devotees arrived to offer namaz, they discovered the religious books were missing. The copies were later found burnt in a nearby field, close to the mosque. The discovery sparked outrage within the Muslim community, prompting a large protest outside the police station, where demonstrators demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the desecration.

The protestors then marched from Santi Bastawad to Rani Chennamma Circle, chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai,’ and blocking roads, causing a traffic jam. To defuse rising communal tensions, police quickly intervened and held a peace meeting with senior leaders of the Muslim community. During the meeting, they assured the public that the culprits would be apprehended within two days.

According to Belagavi Police Commissioner Iada Martin, the CCTV camera installed on the building had been removed for maintenance on the day of the incident, hindering the investigation. However, authorities have assured that the investigation is underway and efforts to capture the culprits are ongoing.