By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,

Tijara, Alwar (Rajasthan): Some miscreants here stole idols from a local temple and planted them in the historic Lal Masjid yesterday, causing tension in the area.

The incident at the mosque, which is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India, has angered Muslims and communal tension has gripped the entire area. As usual, the police remained mute spectator when the miscreants put the idols in the mosque, drank wine there and ‘victory’ celebrations continued whole night. The police station is a few yards from the mosque.

Some respected citizens and Ulema of the area mediated to calm down passion and take the idols out of the mosque. A case has been filed against the miscreants but most of them are still at large, causing anguish among Muslims.

It was only in the morning that a few persons coming from nearby villages reported the incident to the police station and, then, police came into action and recovered three idols, a table, a TV set and a few bottles of wine.

Meanwhile some responsible persons of the village and the local MLA Nawab Darroo Mian have formed a committee to deal with the issue. They demanded the government to open the mosque for five times’ prayers. He further told that the incident has been brought to the knowledge of the collector, secretary and government of Rajasthan through written correspondence. Though the situation is improving, tension prevails in the area. Ex-MLA Chaudhary Deen Mohammad and other Muslim leaders of the area have assured Muslims that action will be taken against the miscreants but they should keep calm and be patient.

It was only a few years ago that this vast historic mosque was acquired by ASI, a security guard was deployed and doors were locked permanently, preventing Muslims from offering namaz.