Mosque in Telangana’s Jalalpur village vandalised, Quran copies desecrated
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A Jama Masjid in Jalalpur village of Bommalaramaram mandal in Telangana’s Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district was vandalised late on Sunday night, with unidentified persons accused of damaging parts of the structure and desecrating copies of the Quran.
Local residents said the intrusion took place around midnight, when those who entered the premises damaged walls, window panes, washroom doors and the public address system. Copies of the Quran were found strewn across the site, and empty beer and whisky bottles were reportedly recovered from the compound.
The president of the mosque, Shaikh Abdul Saleem, told Maktoob that the disorder came to light when the imam arrived early Monday morning to lead the fajr prayer. He said the premises were in disarray, with Qurans scattered on the floor, suggesting that unknown persons had entered and vandalised the property, leaving behind alcohol bottles. He added that the police were informed, but alleged that action was slow to follow, Maktoob Media reported.
Police have since registered a case against unknown persons under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 331(4) (punishment for house trespass or house-breaking), 329(4) (criminal trespass or house trespass), 298 (injuring or defiling a place of worship), 324(4) (mischief) and 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of worship, etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Saleem said personnel were posted outside the mosque as a precaution to prevent any further incident.
Condemning the vandalism, Majlis Bachao Tehreek spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan called for swift police action and a thorough probe. He told Maktoob that the mosque had faced opposition since it was built, claiming that earlier attempts by Muslims in nearby villages to construct a place of worship had met with resistance, and that the Jama Masjid in Jalalpur was eventually established in 2018.
Khan further alleged that those associated with the mosque had repeatedly come under pressure from sections of local residents. He said a visiting religious group last May was sent away after objections were raised, and claimed there had also been resistance to the use of loudspeakers for the azaan. He added that potential evidence at the site may not have been preserved properly before documentation.
Police officials at the Bommalaramaram station confirmed that a case had been registered and that investigations were underway. They said no communal motive had been established so far. Security has been stepped up in the area as authorities continue to look into the circumstances of the incident.
