Hyderabad: Eight persons, an inspector, three constables, and four civilians, were injured when stone pelting broke out to protest the construction of a tin shed at the place where an abandoned mosque was demolished on May 1. Officials said the Masjid-e-Ek-Khana land had been acquired by the GHMC after paying compensation to those staying there illegally.
MIM MLA Pasha Quadri had accompanied community members and the workers to check on the progress in the construction of the tin shed. The makeshift arrangement was to make up for the absence of the masjid.
MLA Raja Singh also arrived at the scene and was taken into police custody.
While the demolition of the masjid had created tension in the area on Thursday and Friday, the situation escalated on Sunday when civilians noticed that a tin shed was being constructed in its place.
Meanwhile, according to a preliminary report from the GHMC, mosque managing trustee M. Maqbool connived with the town planning officers of the corporation and received a compensation of `6 crore for the mosque.
Shia community member Mir Hadi Ali told this newspaper, “There was a small masjid in the front and an ashoorkhana behind it. No one seems to be talking about the ashoorkhana. The managing trustee had to look after the masjid and the ashoorkhana. The Wakf Board should have paid attention to what was going on. However, they have not been committed to their duty, and that is what has led to this issue.”
Home minister Mahmood Ali said, “We are going to conduct an inquiry to find out what actually led to the demolition.”
