On Wednesday, 20th November, the Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal police to take control of a Mosque in Egra, East Midnapore, following a violent clash between two groups of Muslims that left one person dead. The police have been instructed to monitor the entry and exit of Muslims and regulate activities at the Mosque.
“Humanity is above all. Which religion says that you have to practice murder?” the court said as it heard the matter of two groups of Muslims fighting over the timing of prayers at the Mosque.
As per the report by The Times of India, the decision was made during a hearing on a petition alleging non-compliance with an earlier court order. On November 7th, 2024, the court had instructed two groups of Muslims in a mosque located in Egra, East Midnapore, to offer namaz at separate times. However, the directive was ignored, leading to severe violence on November 13th, 2024.
During the clash, one person was also reported to have lost his life, and eight others were seriously injured. Following the incident, three FIRs were registered, and two individuals were arrested under the suspicion of violence. In response, the High Court ordered that the mosque be placed under police control, with access restricted to individuals approved by the inspector in charge of the Egra police station.
“Religion involves sentiment, consciousness, and emotions. If any of these factors are exceeded, hatred arises out of that. Above all is humanity… This is interference with the administration of justice. The mosque should be taken over by police, and entry to it would be subject to the approval of the inspector in charge of Egra police station,” the Court headed by Justice Tirthankar Ghosh said.
The court emphasized that its decision was made after thorough deliberation and warned Muslims that any further violence resulting in fatalities could lead to a complete ban on offering namaz in the mosque. Stressing that “no one should die over a religious matter,” the court also directed the district administration to convene a meeting to address the issue.
The High Court was informed that the core of the dispute revolved around a claim of ownership of the mosque by one individual, while a rival group also sought to offer prayers there. The second group approached the High Court and alleged that they were being stopped from offering prayers at the Mosque. On November 7th, 2024, the court had instructed two groups of Muslims to offer namaz at separate times. However, the directive was ignored, leading to violence.
