Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Feb 26 The Karnataka Police have beefed up security in the surrounding areas of Laadle Mahak Dargah on Wednesday after the court allowed devotees to carry out Raghava Chaitanya Shivling worship on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri.
The security has been arranged under the monitoring of the Superintendent of Police (SPs) from Kalaburagi and Raichur districts. The police department has deputed 1,150 police personnel to avoid any untoward incident. Besides, tight security arrangements have also been made in Aland town.
The controversy surrounding the worship of the Raghava Chaitanya Shivling, installed within the premises of the Laadle Mashak Dargah. On Tuesday, the High Court, while considering a petition filed by Hindu organisations, granted permission for the worship of the Raghava Chaitanya Shivling between 2 and 6 p.m. on February 26, on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. However, the court has not permitted Andola Siddalinga Seer to attend the worship.
Hindu activists had approached the court seeking permission to worship the Shivling at the dargah.
The court has allowed 15 Hindu activists, including the petitioner Siddaramaiah Hiremath, to perform the worship.
Additionally, it has directed the petitioner to submit a list of participants along with their Aadhaar cards to the district administration ahead of the worship.
Laadle Mashak Dargah is named after Laadle Mashak, a Sufi saint, who won the hearts of people in the 14th century.
The premises of the dargah have the 'Samadhi' of Hindu saint Ragahava Chaitanya, who lived in the 15th century. According to sources, Raghava Chaitanya is the guru of Samarth Ramadas, who was revered by Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji.
The Shivling is erected on the Samadhi of Raghava Chaitanya and is known as Raghava Chaitanya Shivling.
As the difference cropped up between the Hindu and Muslim communities, the matter of ownership of land has reached the court.
Hindus who visited Laadle Mashaak Dargah also used to worship Raghava Chaitanya Shivling.
The previous year, Shivratri and Urus were celebrated on the same day and the court had permitted both Muslims and Hindus to carry out worshipping.
The Muslims were given time between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Hindus were allowed from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The court had allowed only 15 persons from the Hindu community to carry the worshipping.
In 2022, Karnataka Police arrested 167 persons, including 10 women in connection with the incident of communal violence that rocked Aland town of Kalaburagi district on the day of Maha Shivratri. The district administration had clamped prohibitory orders in the town following large-scale violence.
The violence broke out when 'Gangabhisheka' (cleansing of Shivling with water of holy river Ganga) and worshipping was performed at the Raghava Chaitanya Shivling on Maha Shivratri. When the worship was being performed, one group suddenly started stone pelting and resorted to violence.
The police had seized piles of stones, rods, and sticks from the terraces of the houses. The mob, which was involved in violence, had pelted stones on the vehicles of former Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers, New and Renewable Energy Bhagwanth Khuba, local MLA and BJP leaders.
The District Commissioner and Superintendent of Police's vehicles were damaged in the stone pelting incident.
Former BJP MLA Subhash Guttedar from Aland seat had during the Winter Session held in Belagavi in 2021, urged the government to provide protection to the historically significant Raghav Chaitanya Samadhi and Shivling following the alleged incident of desecration of the Shivling. This demand had led to outrage among certain sections of the community.
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