Kashmiri Detained For Trying To Offer Namaz In Ayodhya Ram Mandir

Ayodhya: A resident of Kashmir was taken into custody after he allegedly tried to offer namaz in the Ram Mandir complex in Ayodhya.

Security agencies are interrogating Abu Ahmed Sheikh (55), a resident of Shopian, said Superintendent of Police (Security) Balramchari Dubey. He said Sheikh entered the temple complex through Gate D1, posing as a devotee. "Upon entering the shrine complex, he sat near the Sita kitchen and began offering namaz. Devotees on their way to the temple protested, prompting the security personnel to take immediate action and detain him," the SP said.

Police said Sheikh's family has claimed that he is mentally ill and has shared medical records from the psychiatry department of Srinagar Medical College as evidence. "We didn't know anything about it. He is totally unsound," Sheikh's son, Imran, told reporters at their residence in Shopian when asked about the incident.

Sources claimed that the man raised slogans when he was stopped, he added. Investigators are questioning Sheikh to ascertain his intent and are also verifying his travel details, including the purpose of his visit to Ayodhya, and whether anyone else was involved, Dubey said.

During preliminary checks, police found items such as cashews and raisins in his possession. Police said Sheikh told investigators that he was travelling to Ajmer. The district administration and the Ram temple trust have so far declined to comment.

Police said, security has been tightened in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi complex after the incident. "Vigilance is being maintained at the entry points and checking of the incoming and outgoing devotees has been increased," Dubey said. He said a clearer picture will emerge after a probe into the incident is completed.

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