Tension in Jor Bagh over dargah issue again

Residents of BK Dutt Colony and followers of Jor Bagh's Dargah Shah-e-Mardana came face to face over a heritage structure at Jor Bagh on Sunday.

Residents of BK Dutt Colony and followers of Jor Bagh's Dargah Shah-e-Mardana came face to face over a heritage structure at Jor Bagh on Sunday.

HT Image

When representatives of the Anjuman-e-Haideri, which manages the dargah, along with other devotees started cleaning the dargah's nakkarkhana, colony residents reached there in huge numbers and started protesting. The nakkarkhana is a dilapidated structure on the northeast side of the dargah complex.

Soon, the police reached there to sort out the situation. Many police personnel spread out in the dargah area and the colony. They remained stationed there throughout the day.

"The nakkarkhana is a heritage structure. How can they stop us from cleaning it?" said Abbas Naqvi, Anjuman secretary.

On the other hand, residents claimed that the trust has a 'hidden agenda' and wants to encroach upon that structure.

"The problem would not have resurfaced had the DDA and the Land and Development Office (L&DO) clearly demarcated the area long time ago," said Karamvir Singh, a resident of BK Dutt colony and one of the petitioners of the PIL filed in January on behalf of residents.

Singh also claimed that the building that Anjuman claims as the nakkarkhana does not figure on any heritage list. "The actual nakkarkhana is inside the dargah premises," he said.

Chhaya Sharma, DCP (south) said, "All stakeholders — the DDA, Anjuman and residents — were brought together for a discussion. The issue was ironed out amicably."

However, the police continued to be present in the area as a preventive measure to keep the law and order situation under control.