Ashoorkhana turned into madarsa?

Darulshifa: Ashoorkhana located at Gun Bazar in Begumpet has been transformed into Madarsa (Islamic seminary) allegedly after encroachment. Shia leaders lodged a complaint with the police to look into the matter, as encroachers transformed the status quo of the location even after the issue landed at the local police station and a stay was granted by Wakf Tribunal.

Advocate Syed Ali Jaffry told The Hans India that based on their complaint, a case was registered by the Begumpet police, but no action has been taken against the encroachers. He claimed that devotees were not being allowed to do 'Majlis'. He pointed out that TS Wakf Board officials have failed to protect the Shia properties under Wakf and demanded that police initiate action against the culprits.

In a complaint to Telangana State DGP, Hyderabad Police, TS Wakf Board and ACP Begumpet, Syed Ali Jaffry held that by misguiding the police and officials the place has been encroached by the Secretary, Dargah Khaki Shah, which is half-a-kilometer from Ashoorkhana. "Claiming that the Ashoorkhana remains in Dargah's attached land, the encroachers laid hand on the Shia religious place," he noted.

He contended the claims of the 'encroachers' by pointing out at the Gazette notification which holds Dargah as an institution under TS Wakf Board, with its 57 sq yards land. On the contrary the Ashoorkhana which is historic and is a private property is on 200 sq yard land and there is more than half km distance between the two structures.

"The Ashoorkhana was encroached upon and has been painted and written all over as 'Chilla Mardarsa' and the Shia devotees are not being allowed to perform majlis ever since," he noted. Despite the grant of stay by the Wakf Tribunal and an FIR 309/2018 lodged at Begumpet Police station, the local police has not taken any action yet, he added.