CABINET MINISTER for Waqf and Irrigation Shakir Ali directed district and police officials to recover stolen parts of a 300-year-old gold and silver tazia and arrest the culprits.
Terming the incident as ‘unfortunate’, Ali said police should be given a free hand to work out the case. Talking to mediapersons, Ali said at a time when the State was on alert, the administration should have taken steps to beef up security at the historic Imambara. Parts of the tazia were stolen from the Imambara Mian Bazaar under Kotwali police station on Saturday. The district administration had promised to ensure arrest of the thieves within 48 hours, but police failed to find any clues.
Meanwhile, various Imambara committees threatened to launch a movement against the administration if it failed to ensure the arrest of the accused.
Reports said police suspected that people residing near Imambara had played a vital role in the incident. They drew up a list and started interrogation.
Police officials also examined Mersiakhana (the place where the tazias were kept) and interrogated people.
They also picked up a few drug addicts, as suspects in the case. Mian Sahib Imambara is the largest Waqf property of the Sunni Waqf Board in UP. Its Waqf registration number is 216.
To a question, Ali claimed Samajwadi Party candidate Rambhual Nishad would register a victory in the Kauriram assembly by-election.
Ali said enforcement of the election code of conduct had adversely affected the development process in the State.
He suggested exempting the development process from the purview of the election code of conduct.
{{/usCountry}}He suggested exempting the development process from the purview of the election code of conduct.
{{/usCountry}}He addressed half-a-dozen meetings in support of the SP candidate.