KARAK: An angry mob has vandalized and burned down the samadhi (shrine) of a Hindu saint in the Karak’s Teri town district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday.
Videos posted on social media showed a large crowd present at the site, chanting slogans and tearing down the walls of the shrine. Smoke and fire could be seen in the visuals.
#BREAKING…A mob led by local clerics destroyed Hindu temple in Karak district of KP. Hindus obtained permission from the administration to extend the temple but local clerics arranged a mob to destroy the temple. Police & administration remained silent spectators @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/fL6J13YSGN
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) December 30, 2020
According to sources, several people led by some local elders of a religious party held a protest and demanded the removal of the Hindu place of worship, adding that after delivering speeches, they moved towards and attacked the shrine, which was built before 1920.
This was the second attack on the shrine; it was demolished in 1997 and rebuilt in 2015 on orders of the Supreme Court, sources informed. The mob that was chanting slogans set the shrine on fire before demolishing it as well as an under-construction house owned by a member of the Hindu community, sources added.
Accusing the police of having failed to protect the property of minorities sources said that local people of nearby villages announced a protest demonstration a few days earlier which was completely ignored by police.
Karak District Police Officer Irfanullah talking to the media said the residents had issued a call for protest, but with the guarantee that they would remain peaceful. However, a cleric incited the crowd following which they proceeded to attack the shrine.
The shrine’s keeper had secretly acquired a house next to the property the protesters were against its construction because they assumed the shrine was being expanded, the police officer added.
There are no Hindus in the area and it was the home of the single samadhi, he explained. Irfanullah said the mob destroyed the under-construction house due to which the shrine next to it also damaged.
There was a large number of protesters and police controlled the situation, he claimed, adding that a case of the incident had been registered but no one had been arrested so far. The police official also said legal action will be taken against all the people who took the law into their hands.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan took notice of the incident and ordered concerned officials to take action against the culprits.
On a social media website, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said, “Strongly condemn the burning of a Hindu temple by a mob in Karak, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. KP government must ensure the culprits are brought to justice.”
She said her ministry was also moving on the incident. “We as a government have a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all our citizens and their places of worship,” she added.
Strongly condemn the burning of a Hindu temple by a mob in Karak Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. KP govt must ensure culprits brought to justice. MOHR also moving on this. We as a govt have a responsibility to ensure safety & security of all our citizens & their places of worship.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) December 30, 2020
