What was the plan of offering Namaz in a Hindu Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly?

Muslim woman, daughter arrested for offering namaz at Shiva temple in Uttar Pradesh on maulvi’s instruction: Police.

The police also arrested the maulvi (Muslim cleric) who allegedly prompted them to offer namaz at the temple in the Kesarpur village in Bareilly. 

Sujata Pandey | HENB | Lucknow | Sept 23, 2023: Muslims generally believe that Allah protects the place for Muslims where Namaj is offered once. So, Muslims try to offer Namaj here and there in public places whether it is a public place, Bus terminus, Railway station, or moving transports.  It’s a Namaz venture to occupy destinations under Islam through Namaj, though ridiculous.

Now, such cynic Namaz venture has reached an ancient Shiva Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district as reports surfaced by the way.

The police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district arrested a Muslim woman and her daughter for allegedly offering namaz (Islamic worship) at an old Shiva temple on Saturday last in the afternoon timings. They also arrested a maulvi (Islamic cleric) named Chaman Shah for allegedly prompting them to offer namaz at the temple in the Kesarpur village under the Bhuta police station jurisdiction.

The police said the accused, Sajina, 45, and her daughter Sabina, 19, recited verses of namaz on the temple premises after the maulvi Chaman Shah assured them of good fortune if they did so. However, other sources said that the Islamic cleric had a plan to send many numbers of Muslims to offer Namaj to that Temple in order to occupy that in the future.

Some of the villagers captured the incident on mobile-phone and that went viral causing Hindu resentment.

“All three have been arrested and sent to jail. They were booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). The village has a mixed population, and we have deployed police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel in strength to ensure that the incident does not spread communal hatred,” said Rajesh Kumar Mishra, in-charge of the Bhuta police station in Bareilly.

The police said Sajina and Sabina reached the Shiva temple in the afternoon and suddenly started offering the namaz on the temple premises. Those present there objected, but the duo remained adamant and continued their religious prayers, the police said.

Hindus in Kesarpur village protested the incident vehemently.

“We have made a video of the incident and sent it to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s office and also to the state police chief Vijay Kumar for immediate police intervention,” said Prem Singh, the pradhan (head) of the Kesarpur village, who lodged the FIR at the Bhuta police station.

However, there is no report of breach of the peace in the village and adjacent areas under adequate police deployment.

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_Inputs from Indian Express and UP Tak.