Historic Dargah at Wynberg-Allen School Vandalized in Mussoorie Amid Land Dispute
In a disturbing incident that has sparked outrage, a dargah located on the premises of Wynberg-Allen School in Mussoorie was vandalized on Saturday evening. The attack occurred around 6 pm when a group of 25-30 individuals forcibly entered the shrine, armed with hammers and crowbars, causing significant damage to the religious site.
Background of the Land Dispute and Viral Video
This act of vandalism comes weeks after a Facebook video went viral, in which a man claimed that the shrine was illegally constructed on forest land. The video garnered substantial attention, prompting the Forest Department to take notice of the matter. Subsequently, the department issued a notice to Wynberg-Allen School and the Nagar Palika, as the shrine is situated on private forest land where construction has been banned since 1980.
The Forest Department was actively in the process of collecting documents from all stakeholders regarding the construction of the shrine to determine whether any action was required. The Divisional Forest Officer of Mussoorie, Amit Kanwar, had emphasized that records would be sought before making any decisions.
Conflicting Claims About the Shrine's Age and Significance
In response to the notice, the school authorities stated that the dargah, which is visited by people of all faiths, has been present in the area for at least 30 years. However, the committee managing the Dargah of Baba Bulle Shah asserted that the shrine is more than 100 years old, highlighting its historical and cultural significance.
Threats and the Subsequent Vandalism
Prior to the incident, in a video shared on January 23, Lalit Sharma, the president of the Hindu Raksha Dal's Uttarakhand wing, issued a threat. He declared that if the administration did not take action by Tuesday, they would destroy the shrine themselves, citing religious reasons. Sharma stated, "This is Devbhoomi, and Bulle Shah has no place here. It does not matter if it is private property; our concern is for Sanatan. We will go any time on Tuesday to demolish it."
Despite these warnings, the vandalism occurred on Saturday, as reported in a police complaint filed by a Mussoorie resident. The complaint detailed that around 25-30 people entered the shrine and vandalized it, leading to the registration of an FIR.
Legal Action and Social Media Fallout
Based on the complaint, an FIR has been registered under BNS sections 196(1)(b), which pertains to acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different groups, and section 298, concerning injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class. The FIR names three individuals allegedly involved in the incident, identified through a viral video of the vandalism that has circulated on social media.
The complainant, Akram Khan, criticized the law enforcement agencies for not taking the earlier threats seriously, stating, "Lalit Sharma had shared a video on Facebook, but the law enforcement agencies did not take it seriously. It is their failure that such an incident could not be averted." School authorities have declined to comment on the matter, adding to the ongoing controversy.
This incident underscores the tensions surrounding religious sites and land disputes in Uttarakhand, raising concerns about communal harmony and the protection of historical landmarks.
