An armed mob of around 1,000 people vandalised a madrasa in Bihar Sharif’s Murarpur locality and set fire to its library, said Mohammad Siyabuddin, the imam of the mosque and caretaker of the madrasa.
The 110-year-old library with a collection of over 4,500 books was reduced to ashes in the attack, he said.
The mosque’s minar (tower) was damaged and the district administration is carrying out repairs.
“We had just finished Friday prayers when violence erupted at Gagan Diwan locality near Hotel City Palace. A mob then entered the madrasa and started hurling stones. A member of the mosque’s peace committee was threatened to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. They threw petrol bombs into the mosque and the library, and set vehicles parked on the premises on fire,” Mr. Siyabuddin said.
“It is unfortunate that rare books were burnt in the attack, which was carried out with the intention of hampering the education of children, “said Sarfaraz Mallik, an advocate at Bihar Sharif court who resides close to the madrasa.
Residents of Bihar Sharif, said media outlets that the area has not witnessed such violence since 1981 when 45 people died in communal clashes.
According to reports, prohibitory orders have been imposed under Section 144 of the CrPC in the area. Internet services have been suspended in the district and the ban is expected to be in place for the next 48 hours.
