Two groups of people — one supporting the acting Khatib and the other favouring the newly appointed Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque— involved in scuffles and shoe-throwing at each other before Jum'a prayers yesterday. The incident took place over who would lead the prayers....and they were winging shoes around, so you know this was serious.
Witnesses said when acting Khatib and senior Pesh Imam of the mosque Maulana Mufti Mohammad Nuruddin stood up to lead Jum'a prayers, some people shouted in protest.
Siddown, ya bum!!
And another group of people tried to shout them down. This resulted in scuffles and hurling of shoes.
I curse your mother's moustache!
Your goat has cooties!
Eat my shoe, ya bastid!
At this stage, Nuruddin began leading the prayers, and the situation calmed down.
But trouble resumed after the prayers, leaving several people injured witnesses said.
Police however said they have no report of injuries in the incident.
Nuruddin took over as acting Khatib following the death of Khatib Obaidul Haque about one and a half years ago. The caretaker government recently appointed Mufti Mohammad Salauddin as Khatib.
Meanwhile, two rival groups siding with the newly appointed khatib and opposing the acting Khatib had assembled in the area since morning yesterday. And this might have dissuaded the new Khatib from coming to the mosque to lead Jum'a prayers.
Nuruddin said he led the prayers as instructed by the mosque authorities.