26 detained after National Emblem plaque vandalised at Hazratbal shrine
Srinagar, Sept 6 – Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday detained 26 people in connection with the vandalism of the National Emblem on a renovation plaque at the revered Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. CCTV footage reportedly captured the individuals involved, leading to their detention for questioning.
The incident occurred on Friday and has triggered a political and religious row. The emblem, installed on a plaque marking renovation work at the shrine that houses a relic of Prophet Muhammad, was defaced amid protests from locals.
Several political parties, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC), questioned the decision to install the emblem at the shrine. They argued that displaying a sculpted figure inside a place of worship violates Islamic principles against idol worship.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti accused Waqf Board chairperson Darakshan Andrabi of hurting religious sentiments. “Hazratbal is connected to our Prophet Muhammad and any sort of blasphemy is not acceptable. This is not about disrespecting the national emblem, but placing it here goes against our faith,” she said.
NC leader Omar Abdullah also criticised the move, asking why the emblem was needed in the first place. He further raised concerns over the possible invocation of the Public Safety Act (PSA) against those detained.
Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the vandalism, saying he was “deeply anguished” by the act, but refrained from commenting on whether the emblem should have been installed at the shrine. Meanwhile, Andrabi maintained that vandalism amounted to disturbing public order and called for strict legal action.
Comments are closed.