Karnataka HC reserves judgement on Mangaluru's Malali mosque dispute

The Karnataka high court reserved its judgement for pronunciation on a suit seeking a survey of the Malali mosque on the outskirts of Mangaluru after a Hindu temple-like architectural design was discovered underneath it.

Published on: Jun 25, 2022, 13:05:11 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Chandrashekar Srinivasan

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The Karnataka high court on Friday reserved judgement on a suit pending before a Mangaluru court, which had sought a survey of the Malali mosque on the outskirts of the city after a Hindu temple-like architectural design was discovered underneath it during April renovation works, PTI reported.

A Hindu temple-like architectural design was discovered underneath an old mosque near Mangaluru in April. (ANI image)

The III Additional Civil Court in Mangaluru is hearing the case on the Assayed Abdullahi Madani mosque in Malali in the Thenka Ulipady village near Mangaluru. The case was filed by individuals TA Dhananjaya and BA Manoj Kumar who sought an inspection of the mosque to ascertain if the parts uncovered during renovation belonged to a temple, PTI said.

Also Read: VHP leader hints at 'Ram Mandir-like campaign' in Mangaluru

The court was hearing arguments whether such a suit was maintainable. According to reports the petitioners approached the high court demanding that the lower court should appoint a commissioner to conduct the survey.

The Karnataka high court directed the civil court not to pronounce its verdict on maintainability of the suit. The single-judge bench of Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum had issued notice to mosque authorities and adjourned the hearing to June 17. The court has now heard both sides' arguments and on Thursday reserved its judgement.

Section 144 was imposed within 500 metres of the mosque last month after a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader warned of a 'Ram Mandir-like campaign' in the fight for control of premises.

Coastal districts of Karnataka, like Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and in particular, Mangaluru, are known to be more sensitive in the face of religious and communal conflicts over the years. These districts witnessed over 120 communal incidents in 2021, the highest in the last four years, data compiled by Suresh Bhat, a member of Karnataka Communal Harmony Forum and People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Mangaluru, indicated.

(With PTI Inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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