A man allegedly threw a bottle of kerosene on Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari, who was leading the evening prayers at the mosque in New Delhi on Sunday. Bukhari was not injured in the incident.
The man, identified as Kamaluddin, 32, a resident of 24-Parganas district of West Bengal, was immediately nabbed by the Shahi Imam’s personal security officers and later handed over to local police.
“The incident took place when the Imam was leading the maghrib namaz (evening prayer). A man suddenly threw a plastic bottle which had kerosene at him from behind. The attacker was caught by Imam’s PSOs. He has been taken to the nearby police station,” said Amanullah, Syed Ahmed Bukhari’s official spokesperson.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Central) Alok Kumar said that the man has been taken into custody and is being questioned.
Earlier in the day, Shaban Bukhari, the 19-year-old son of the Shahi Imam, has been chosen to succeed him as the 14th Shahi Imam of the country’s largest mosque.
Shaban Bukhari was picked for the influential post due to his “strong inclination” toward humanities besides his religious capabilities, said Syed Ahmed Bukhari who has been holding the prestigious post since 2000.
The teenager, who is pursuing Bachelors in Social Work at a private university, will be anointed as the ‘Nayab Shahi Imam’ (vice-imam) at a ceremony on November 22, 2014 which will be attended by around 1,000 religious leaders from across the world. He will be groomed under his father, who will remain the Shahi Imam for his life. Mr. Shaban Bukhari will then take over the mantle from his father.
