Karnataka: Section 144 imposed, large gatherings banned near Mangaluru mosque until Thursday

Mangaluru (Karnataka): Large gatherings have been banned within 500-meter area of Malali Juma Masjid in Mangaluru on Tuesday.

According to Mangaluru authorities, Section 144 will be in place from 8 pm of May 24 to 8 am of May 26.

A Hindu temple-like architectural design was discovered underneath an old mosque on the outskirts of Mangaluru on April 21.

Following the controversy over the structure that was found during the demolition of the mosque, a few Hindu organisations are organising 'Tambula Prashne' at Sri Ramanjaneya Bhajana Mandira on May 25 from 8.30am onwards, reported Times of India.

The development came to the front during the renovation work at Juma Masjid in Malali, in the outskirts of Mangaluru.

The renovation work was being conducted by the mosque authorities.

With each new litigation targeting religious structures, concerns around the relevance of the Places of Worship Act are growing.

Petitioners have claimed that they are squarely covered under Section 4(3) of the Act, which grants exemption to structures that are ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites, or are covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (24 of 1958) or “any other law for the time being in force”.

The courts that have ruled in favour of the maintainability of these suits will now determine whether the aforesaid litigations are permitted, as per the exceptions detailed under Section 4(3)(a) of the Places of Worship Act; or are barred, as per the rest of the provisions of the same Act.

(with inputs from ANI)