Citizens protest over razing of illegally built masjid

A group of 500 citizens staged a protest to stop civic officials from razing an alleged illegal masjid on Thursday in the KSCB quarters in Lakshmidevinagar, Nandini Layout limits.

N G Umesh, assistant engineer, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, filed a complaint against the protesters with the Nandini Layout police.

He said an organisation called Masjid-O-Madarasa Noor-E-Elahi Trust built the masjid illegally several years ago. The trust did not take approval for the plan to build the structure, located in survey number 11 and 12 in ward number 69 in the KSCB quarters.

Based on the Rajarajeshwari Nagar assistant engineer’s report, an order was passed to raze the structure under the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act.

Based on a PIL, the high court in December had asked the civic officials to demolish the illegally built masjid and file a report by January 10.

Women put up a fight

As officials went to carry out the demolition order on Thursday, 500 — mostly women — citizens stopped them and barred the way for vehicles, including the JCB, and staged a protest.

Officials returned without demolishing the structure and filed the report in the court on Friday.

The trust is fighting to save the building in the lower court.

Umesh told DH that the high court has given time for the masjid trust to clear their case in the lower court.