At least five women among eight people belonging to the Ahmadiyya Community sustained serious injuries when miscreants attacked a worship place of the community in Kotli district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday.
Community members said that more than 50 unidentified assailants, armed with hammers, shovels, and sticks and other weapons stormed their worship place (Baitul Zikr) in Bhabra area of Kotli. The mob demolished four minarets erected atop the worship place and its arch (mehrab). Two of the attackers also fired into the air to allegedly spread fear among the resident Ahmadiyya community.
An Ahmadi woman identified as Zahida Parveen was also injured during the daylight attack on their worship place. Community members said that a total of eight people were injured, including five women and the rest men. including Wajid Husain
The injured were rushed to the Kotli District Hospital for treatment.
The community has submitted a written complaint about the incident to the Kotli police demanding action against the culprits.
It is pertinent to mention here that opponents of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya were demanding the demolition of minarets erected atop the worship place (Ahmadiyya Bait Ul Zikr). They had allegedly given the local administration an ultimatum to demolish the minarets by December 16, 2023; otherwise, they would attack the worship place and demolish the minarets themselves.
It is pertinent to mention here that on November 24, 2023, miscreants demolished the minarets at an Ahmadi worship place in Kotli.