Shamirpet mosque demolition: FIR, cases booked against miscreants

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Wakf Board officials have registered a complaint against the demolition of a 400-year-old Qutub Shahi mosque in Shamirpet. The police have lodged an FIR and cases against the miscreants.

According to sources, the 400-year-old historic Auqaf-listed Qutub Shahi mosque at Yakutpur village in Shamirpet mandal was allegedly pulled down on Sunday night by one Vinoda Reddy of Alwal.

In 2011, one Mir Ghulam Hassan Khan and his son Mohammed Shahnawaz sold the 9-acre plot of land with the mosque and few tombs to Satyanarayana Reddy who in turn sold the said land to Vinoda Reddy.

After Mir Ghulam Hassan Khan sold the land to Satyanarayana Reddy, the mosque land was listed under Auqaf. Since then, Khan and his family members along with the villagers were punctually offering prayers at the mosque until it was demolished.

The issue came to light when Vinoda Reddy announced three days ago about her intention to demolish the mosque. After the demolition video went viral, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee leaders, including Osman Mohammed Khan, condemned the act and protested against the negligence of TS Wakf Board. They demanded the Board to rebuild the mosque.

Meanwhile, AIMIM leader Mirza Rahmat Baig also protested at TS Wakf Board office and raised slogans against it.

However, Wakf Board chairman Mohammed Saleem said that the criminal cases were booked and an FIR was registered against the miscreants. The members of Wakf Board, including the Wakf inspector, MRO, revenue department and police reached the spot and ensured prayers were held at the mosque. The reconstruction of the mosque was started by the Wakf Board.