Imambara in MP's Dhar handed over to PWD, Muslim body moves Supreme Court

District authorities in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar have handed over the controversial imambara at Hatwada in the area to the state Public Works Department (PWD) in compliance with a court order, police said on Thursday.

The tazia committee of Muslims said it has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the handover.

An imambara is a congregation hall used by the Muslim community during religious gatherings and mourning ceremonies, particularly during the Islamic month of Muharram.

"The property measuring more than 1,100 square feet was handed over to the PWD on Wednesday and a thick security cover has been thrown around it," superintendent of police Manoj Singh told PTI.

A Special Armed Force and Special Task Force of the state police and drone cameras are keeping an eye on and around the imambara, he said.

"As women from Muslim community visit the imambara to offer prayers on Thursdays, the police kept a tight vigil today in the sensitive area," Singh said.

The imambara property of the government was with the Tazia committee for decades. Around 1973, the committee got it only for some days during the Muharram for preparing tazias (a symbolic replica of the tomb of Imam Hussain), he added.

Over the past few years, the Sanskritik Dharohar Raksha Manch Samiti, a right-wing Hindu organisation, had been demanding that the imambara be vacated, saying it was government property.

The outfit contended that the building was given to the Muslim community's tazia committee only for a few days during the Muharram festival, but it was claiming ownership of the property.

Following protests by the organisation, the high court directed the administration to sort out the issue.

SP Singh said, "A petition was filed, and under the high court directions, a sub-divisional magistrate court issued an order declaring the imambara as a PWD property. An appeal filed by the committee before the divisional commissioner was dismissed. After consultations with all stakeholders and conclusion of festivals, the property was handed to the PWD."

As per multiple media reports, the imambara was sealed at the dead of night at around 3.00 am on Thursday.

According to a Dhar Muslim community leader Abdul Samad, a plea has been filed in the Supreme Court against the handover.