Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Apr 29: In a shameful act, miscreants on Friday April 29 desecrated the gravestones of Ullal MLA and health minister U T Khader's parents at Sayyid Mohammed Shareeful Madani Dargah.

The act of vandalism resulted out of clashes between two groups of locals over the appointment of ad-hoc president to the Ullal Juma Masjid and Sayyid Madani Dargah committee.

One of the groups, alleging that political interests had entered into the selection of the committee president, on Friday damaged the gravestone of Khader's father U T Fareed and removed tiles from the grave, and also shattered the gravestone of his mother Naseema Fareed.

Last month, the two groups had failed to reach any consensus over the appointment of ad-hoc president to Juma Masjid and Dargah committee. Differences cropped up between the groups and the issue took a turn for the worse on Thursday April 28 with each group hurling abuses and allegations against the other. The same night, the police took precautionary measures and sealed the committee president's office.

Sources said that on Friday, some people belonging to one of the groups shouted slogans against Khader in the Dargah premises and desecrated his parents' gravestones.