Badi Masjid in danger of being wiped out forever

Patancheru: The Badi Masjid that dates back to the Qutub Shahi era now lies abandoned. Taking advantage of this situation, locals have started plotting the three acre open land around the masjid. The land comes under Survey No 358. Residents around the mosque have been complaining about the encroachments to the Waqf Board.  

According to the records of Mandal Revenue Office (MRO) three acres of land worth 4 crores in survey no 358 in 2014 to 2015 was in the name of the trustee of a waqf (as a religious building) Masjid Mutawalli  Shaik Mehboob Ali Inaamdar and other three brothers of Mehboob. The grandson of Shaik Mehboob, Mohammed Ajju says, “Locals have started plotting and want to sell the land. They managed to get a few names included in the village records.” He further added, “A few members of the sarpanch too are involved.”  

Muslim Development Association submitted a complaint to RDO Sanga Reddy, District Collector, VRO (Village Revenue Office) and Waqf Board. Apart from the Badi Masjid, there are four mosques, four dargahs and six Ashoorkhanas in Patancheru mandal that come under Waqf Board. 

The mosque is being used as a shelter home for animals and one side of the mosque is barred for people as a wall was built. Waqf Board inspector Sanga Reddy Mohammed Jabbar said that, “I submitted all the complaints to MRO but MRO didn’t respond.” The encroached lands come under Survey No 356 and 357. 
Osman Mohammed Khan, a relative of Shaik Mehboob says, “All we want is to safeguard the property and restore the masjid to its past glory. The Waqf Board should fence the area, restore the mosque and bring it back to life. There is a sizable Muslim population in the area. 

BY Mohammed Hussain