Ashoka emblem at JK's Hazratbal shrine sparks controversy; Over 50 detained

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have detained over 50 individuals for questioning following the vandalism of a plaque bearing the Ashoka emblem at the Hazratbal Shrine.

The plaque, installed by the Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board as part of a recent renovation project. It was placed inside the Hazratbal shrine, which houses a relic of the Prophet Muhammad.

On Friday, September 5, angry worshippers defaced the plaque, calling it “shameful” and “insensitive.” They argued that the emblem’s installation contradicts Islamic principles, which prohibit the depiction of figures in religious spaces.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have detained over 50 individuals for questioning following the vandalism of a plaque bearing the Ashoka emblem at the Hazratbal Shrine.

The plaque, installed by the Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board as part of a recent renovation project. It was placed… pic.twitter.com/rCU5ws0sPx

— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) September 7, 2025

“No one has been formally arrested so far, but some people are being questioned,” said a senior police official.

The official said action “as per law will also be taken against women who vandalised the plaque but any minor found involved in the incident will not be proceeded against”.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the Waqf Board should apologise for the “mistake,” asserting that the national emblem is meant for government functions, not religious institutions.

Meanwhile, National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday expressed concern over the detention of people over the vandalisation of the Ashoka emblem at the Hazratbal shrine, claiming the issue is being distorted to vilify the people of Kashmir through a “misplaced test of nationalism.”

In a statement issued here, the Lok Sabha member from Srinagar constituency said he is deeply anguished to learn about the detentions by the police in connection with the recent events at Hazratbal.

“Such actions, driven by operational retribution, come at a time when reconciliation and empathy from the administration are most required. It is disheartening that this issue is being distorted as a misplaced test of nationalism, thereby vilifying the people of Kashmir,” Mehdi said.

“To misrepresent an expression of collective hurt as ‘anti-national’ undermines our constitutional values and unity,” he said.

He called for the release of the detained persons, saying such sensitive matters should be approached with wisdom and empathy.

(With PTI inputs)

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