Dargah in Dakshina Kannada shuts its doors on Eid, angry crowd resorts to violence

According to Jafar, an SSF activist who was at the spot, the devotees were angered by the fact that the committee members were not opening the door.
Dargah in Dakshina Kannada shuts its doors on Eid, angry crowd resorts to violence
Dargah in Dakshina Kannada shuts its doors on Eid, angry crowd resorts to violence
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In the wee hours of Monday hundreds of members of the Muslim community had come from various parts of Dakshina Kannada district to offer prayers at the Ullal Dargah located in the district's Ullal area. 

The crowd that was expecting to offer their 5 am prayers at the Dargah were shocked to see that the shrine was locked.

Angered by this, clashes erupted outside the Dargah as people alleged that the Dargah's administrative committee had locked the doors and refused to open it for the public. 

Soon, Sunni Students' Federation activists showed up at the spot and began demanding that the Dargah be opened.

According to Ullal police, the Muslims in the district had observed Eid al-Fitr on Sunday and so the Dargah had remained shut on Monday However, the Ullal Qazi, had called upon people to offer prayers even on Monday at the Dargah. 

"One person named Mohammed alias Mini was severely injured during the clashes. He was inside the shrine when the crowd gathered outside. He tried to call the committee members and when he told the people that they were not picking up the call, they beat him up," Ullal police said. 

According to Jafar, an SSF activist who was at the spot, the devotees were angered by the fact that the committee members were not opening the door. 

"After the fight broke out, the committee members arrived and at 11.30 am they opened the Dargah and the crowd dispersed. For the first time in Dakshina Kannada, morning prayers were offered outside the shrine, and that too on Eid," Jafar told TNM.

The Ullal police and Mangalore police, arrived at the spot as soon as the violence was reported and dispersed the crowd. 

Police said that while a few local TV channel reporters had arrived on the spot to cover the clashes, the SSF people in the crowd threatened to break the cameras. 

Peace was restored after the doors to the Dargah were opened.

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