Srinagar: In a midnight break-in, burglars broke open a donation box at the revered shrine of Peer Dastgir Sahab (RA) at Khanyar area of the old city and decamped with the cash that was in it.
The incident took place a day after burglars stole cash from a donation box at the shrine of Hazrat Syed Hassan Simnani (RA) in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir. The shrine, which is overseen by the Jammu and Kashmir Wakf Board, is a revered place of worship, drawing devotees from across the Valley.
The midnight burglary at Dastgir Sahab (RA) shrine was discovered this morning, leading to a rapid police investigation, according to the shrine management. The donation box placed inside the shrine, they claimed, was broken-open and the cash was missing.
Syed Khalid Hussain, Sajada-Nisheen of the shrine confirmed that the cash was stolen by unidentified burglars by breaking open the donation box within the shrine.
“Upon entering the shrine to offer Fajr prayers, we noticed the donation box was broken-open and the cash inside it was stolen. The fact that thieves even target shrines without considering the severity of the evil they are committing is alarming,” Khalid Hussain told ‘Kashmir Images’.
When asked how much money had been stolen from the donation box, he said that nobody knew the exact amount of cash that had accumulated inside the donation box.
“The concerned police station has been informed of the incident, and a comprehensive investigation is anticipated to identify and apprehend those responsible for the heinous act of burglary inside one of Kashmir’s most revered shrines,” he added.
“A formal case has been registered in this regard and investigation set into motion. Strict action will be taken against those involved,” a police official told ‘Kashmir Images’, adding all technical evidence, including CCTV footage, are being gathered to identify the criminals.
