More than a 100-year-old shrine of Baba Bulle Shah was vandalised by unidentified assailants in Uttarakhand’s Mussorie on Saturday.
The shrine located in the Babawala Hisar area of the town was attacked along with two other shrines situated near it. The accused also broke open a donation box kept near the shrines and stole the cash kept inside. The incident has created tension in the area.
According to people associated with the shrine, it has long been a centre of faith, visited with reverence by people from different communities. As soon as information about the incident emerged, members of the Baba Bulle Shah Shrine Committee and local residents reached the spot. The condition of the shrine sparked widespread anger. Committee members said this was not just an act of vandalism but a direct attack on Mussoorie’s Ganga-Jamuni culture and communal harmony.
Attempt To Hurt Religious Sentiments
The Baba Bulle Shah Shrine Committee stated that the shrine had been established on school land with mutual consent and did not involve any encroachment on government land. Committee members alleged that the act was carried out deliberately with the intention of hurting religious sentiments. They demanded that the culprits be identified at the earliest and that strict action be taken against them.
Committee members Israr Ahmed, Shahid Manzoor, Danish Khan, Muntiyaz Rao and Shimoon Salmani expressed strong anger over the incident. They said Mussoorie has always been a symbol of peace and harmony, and such acts only work to divide society. They warned that if prompt action is not taken, the committee and its followers would be forced to launch a protest.
Police Begin Investigation
Following the incident, Mussoorie police swung into action. Late at night, CO Mussoorie Manoj Aswal reached the spot, inspected the shrine and gathered details of the case. Police said a case has been registered against unidentified persons and an investigation is underway. CCTV footage from the surrounding area is also being examined.
Police presence has been increased in the area. Local residents hope that the administration will soon arrest those responsible and take strict action against elements trying to disturb Mussoorie’s peaceful atmosphere.
