The Hindu community in Karachi over the weekend woke to find their 150-year-old-holy shrine Mari Mata Temple demolished in Karachi's Soldier Bazaar, according to ‘Dawn’ newspaper reports.
According to locals, the operation took place late on July 14 night while there was no electricity in the area. That's when the diggers and bulldozers arrived to finish the job. They razed the entire inside structure while leaving the outer walls and the main gate intact. Residents reportedly claimed to see a police vehicle present to give 'cover' for the individuals operating the bulldozers and other equipment, as per ‘Dawn’ – a prominent Pakistani English-language newspaper.
According to the reports, the Mari Mata Temple lies on Mukhi Chohitram Road, very close to the Soldier Bazaar police station. Shri Ram Nath Mishra Maharaj of Shri Panch Mukhi Hanuman Mandir, another very old temple nearby told ‘Dawn’, “It is a very old Mandir”.
He added: “It is said to have been built over 150 years ago. We have also heard of stories about old treasures buried in its courtyard.”
“The Mandir was under the management of the Madarsi Hindu community of Karachi and since it was being said that it was very old and dangerous structure that might topple any day, the Mandir management after much pressure reluctantly but temporarily moved most of their deities to a small room near the storm water train until they could carry out some renovation work there,” he added.
He also said, “But last night the Mari Mata Mandir was just flattened.”
Meanwhile, a gang of dacoits attacked a place of worship — reportedly with “rocket launchers” —belonging to members of the Hindu community in Sindh’s Kashmore during the early hours of July 16. This was the second such incident of vandalism of a Hindu place of worship in less than 24 hours.
In Kashmore, the assailants attacked the temple and the adjoining homes belonging to Hindus under the jurisdiction of the Ghouspur police station. They fired indiscriminately at the temples and homes. After the firing noise, a police unit led by Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Irfan Sammo reached the scene. The police official said that the dacoits fired “rocket launchers” at the place of worship. Fortunately, the temple was closed during the attack. The police official added that the temple opens annually for religious services conducted by the Bagri community, the ‘Dawn’ reported.
(ANI)