Mathura: A group of devout Hindus has moved a Mathura civil court here for removal of a mosque allegedly built on orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1669-70 at the exact birthplace of Lord Sri Krishna within the 13.37-acre premises of Katra Keshav Dev temple in the holy city.

The petition filed in the court of Mathura Senior Civil Judge Chhaya Sharma on Friday has also demanded the annulment of a 1968 Mathura court ruling, ratifying a land deal reached between the Shree Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah Management Committee, perpetuating the existence of the mosque within the temple premises.

The petition was filed by Lucknow resident Ranjana Agnihotri and five others, including Delhi resident Parvesh Kumar, Rajesh Mani Tripathi of Siddharth Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Karunesh Kumar Shukla of Basti, and Shivaji Singh and Tripurari Tiwari, both of Lucknow.

Agnihotri, 51, has also moved the court as the next friend of both the deities, Sri Krishna Virajman and the Asthan Shrikrishna Janam Bhoomi, Katra Keshav Dev, claiming both to be juristic persons, liable to be represented in courts by their next friends , if the temple 'shebaits' fail to move court to protect deities rights and interests.

The petitioners have arrayed four organizations as the respondents in their plea. They include the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board and the Committee of Management of the Shahi Masjid Idgah, the 17th-century mosque existing within the temple premises.

The two other bodies which have been arrayed as respondents are Shree Krishna Janambhoomi Trust, Mathura and Shree Krishna Janm Sthan Sewa Sansthan through their respective secretaries.

The petitioners made the two temple bodies as respondents arguing that they have failed to protect the interests of the deities.

On the timing of the moving court, the petitioners have asserted that the cause of action against the continuing wrong has been accruing every day and it last accrued on January 15, 2020, when the plaintiffs had visited Mathura to pay their obeisance to Lord Krisna and were shocked to see a mosque existing right within the temple.

 

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Mumbai: The Bandra police recorded Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s statement regarding the housebreaking and stabbing incident at his residence, ‘Satguru Sharan.’

The accused, Shariful Islam (30), revealed during interrogation that his intention was theft, not harm. Islam, a Bangladeshi national, reportedly lost his job on December 15, which led him to commit the crime due to financial distress. Evidence, including a Bangladeshi voter ID and certificate, confirmed his nationality. The accused scaled a four-foot wall and used a pipe to reach the duct area of the building, eventually climbing to the 11th floor through the staircase and duct. He entered the house through a bathroom door near the children’s room.

The maids’ alarm caused him to attack Saif, after which the actor’s family mistook the situation for a gang robbery and moved to the upper floor. Islam fled the scene the same way he entered.

Post-incident, Saif was taken to Lilavati Hospital, while Kareena Kapoor Khan moved to her sister Karisma Kapoor’s house with their younger son, Jehangir. The police recovered tools, including a screwdriver, hammer, hacksaw blade, and a broken knife, from a bag discarded by the accused. Investigations revealed that Islam attempted to alter his appearance by visiting a salon in Worli after the incident. The police also questioned the salon owner and an autorickshaw driver who assisted Saif. CCTV footage from the 6th floor of the building confirmed the accused’s entry, though no cameras were installed near the actor’s flats or terrace.

The Bandra police examined nearly 700 CCTV footages across various locations, including Bandra, Khar, Dadar, and Worli, as part of the investigation, which is now in its final stage. The accused has requested deportation to Bangladesh.