Hazratbal Row: 26 Arrested, Ruhullah Condemns Detentions

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police detained 26 people in connection with the vandalism of the national emblem at the Hazratbal shrine, India Today reported.

Sources said CCTV footage recovered from the shrine premises clearly showed individuals involved in the defacement of the emblem. Following a review of the footage and other corroborative evidence, police identified and took the suspects into custody for further investigation.

The incident prompted criticism from Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi. In a statement, he expressed anguish over the detentions, terming them “operational retribution” at a time when reconciliation and empathy were most required.

Ruhullah said it was “disheartening” that the episode was being distorted into a “misplaced test of nationalism,” thereby vilifying the people of Kashmir. He argued that collective hurt was being misrepresented as anti-national, which he said undermined constitutional values and unity.

Calling for wisdom and sensitivity in handling such issues, Ruhullah urged authorities to release those detained. He held the administration responsible for “insensitivity, if not deliberate provocation,” in allowing such a situation to arise at Hazratbal.

He further pointed out that Islam prohibits depictions of living beings inside mosques and places of worship, a restriction he stressed was unequivocal. “Those responsible for this must be held accountable under the same laws now being used to detain innocent people,” he said.