Lack of security at Dastageer Sahab shrine irks locals

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 13

A burglary attempt at Dastageer Sahab shrine, Khanyar, in the old city had residents fuming on Sunday. Though no damage was done to the shrine, people questioned as to why nobody was guarding the place after the video of the burglary went viral.

In the CCTV video, a burglar is seen repeatedly trying to break open the donation box with an iron rod at the shrine that is thronged by a large number of devotees. “We can see repeated attempts to break open the box at the shrine. We understand that the incident happened during the night, but where was the watchman? The shrine receives a huge amount of donations but why the premises is not guarded properly,” said Irshad, a resident of Khanyar.

The Khanyar shrine is devoted to the 11th century Sufi saint Shaikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani, known as Peer Dastageer Sahab by the devotees.

The police registered a case and have also issued a notice requesting the general public to share information if any in this regard.

“The Khanyar police station today received information from the “Intizamiya Committee” of the shrine that during the night some thief/thieves tried opening the donation box to take away the cash from it. Accordingly, a case under relevant sections of the IPC has been registered at the Khanyar police station and the investigation is on,” the police spokesman said. A special investigation team has been formed by the Khanyar SDPO to investigate the case. The investigating team collected the CCTV footage to nab the accused, the spokesman further said.

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