Strict vigil has been maintained in Aland town in the wake of Wakf tribunal permitting Hindu leaders to perform puja at Eshwar temple situated inside the Ladle Mashaikh Dargah.
Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Alok Kumar, has on Thursday, led a route march as precautionary measure to ensure law and order on February 18 when Shivaratri will be celebrated.
Aland town had witnessed violence last year following desecration of the deity at the Eshwar temple. Last year, tension erupted after BJP leaders and members of right wing organisations barged into the Hazrat Ladle Mashaikh Dargah premises to perform puja to a Shivalinga there.
Eshwar temple and dargah have been a symbol of communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims for a long time as they are located in the same compound. The dargah is the memorial of Ladle Mashaikh Ansari, a Sufi saint, while the memorial of Guru Raghavachaitanya is a prominent religious place for the Hindus. The site has been drawing devotees from both faiths since the 14th Century.
(Published 16 February 2023, 17:15 IST)
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