In Maharashtra, India, allegations have been made that during Taraweeh prayers, a group of people broke down the gate of a mosque by hitting it with a wooden log. This incident occurred on Wednesday (March 12) during the annual Shimga procession, which took place in the Konkan region as part of the Holi festival celebrations. The information was reported by India Today.

On March 12, during the Holi festival, the annual Shimga procession started in the Konkan region. At one point, the procession reached a mosque, where a group of people struck the mosque gate with tree logs, breaking it. At the time, Taraweeh prayers were being held in the mosque.

It is claimed that this incident occurred in the presence of the police. However, the police have stated that there was no forced entry into the mosque and that they intervened quickly to control the situation.

According to India Today, this two-kilometer-long procession is a traditional event that ends at a nearby temple. As per tradition, participants carry a long tree trunk and touch it at various religious places. The local police claimed that the same was done at the mosque. In other words, the police stated that the gate of the mosque was not broken intentionally or out of religious animosity.

After a video of the incident went viral, it sparked widespread controversy. In the meantime, the local police filed a case against those who were chanting slogans in front of the mosque and for holding an illegal assembly.

Ratnagiri&r squo;s Superintendent of Police, Dhananjay Kulkarni, explained that during the Rajapur incident, participants traditionally touch the tree trunk at different religious places, including the mosque. Therefore, as per the police's explanation, there was no attack on the mosque as reported in the news. Some youths had chanted slogans, and a case has been filed regarding this matter.

The incident has triggered intense debate online, with political leaders also reacting. Some have called for action, while others have claimed that no vandalism took place with the tree logs.

Maharashtra MLA and Shiv Sena leader Nilesh Rane, in a video message, claimed that the incident had been exaggerated. He mentioned that the situation worsened due to the mosque's gate being closed this year. He also dismissed reports of communal unrest in the area.

Rane further accused some politicians and media outlets of portraying the situation as if it was out of control, which he asserted was not true, and stated that the situation in Ratnagiri was peaceful.

Meanwhile, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi shared a video of the incident, which showed an attack on the mosque in the presence of the police. He then questioned Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking whether the government would take appropriate legal action.

Source: India Today