11 Years on, Quran Handwritten by Aurangzeb Untraced
Publish Date: 5/4/2014 Code: 30026

11 Years on, Quran Handwritten by Aurangzeb Untraced

The state government in the Indian-administered Kashmir and its investigating agencies have failed to retrieve the stolen 400-year old copy of holy Quran believed to be handwritten by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb using the ink blended with gold and saffron.

 

 

11 Years on, Quran Handwritten by Aurangzeb Untraced

 

 The stolen Quran was also having personal stamp of the Mughal king who ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for 49 years from 1658 till his death in 1707.

The rare copy of the Quran was stolen from Srinagar’s Sri Pratap Singh (SPS) Museum in broad daylight, in September 2003. More than a decade has passed but there is no clue of the missing rare copy of Quran.

Pertinently, an FIR No: 106/13 was registered by Rajbagh police station in Srinagar, soon after the employees of the Museum found the wooden locker broken and rare copy of the Quran missing.

Three years later police closed the case as “untraced”. In 2007, the state government officials took up the matter with Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) requesting the agency to investigate the matter, but CBI officials refused to intervene saying “the incident being local in nature the matter may be investigated through local police.”

However, J&K High Court, on a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by a Srinagar based social organization, Valley Citizen’s Council, directed the State Crime Branch to investigate the matter.

The Crime Branch registered a case and started investigations. But ironically the Crime Branch has failed to submit its report to the court.

“This is a clear indication that the investigation by the Crime Branch proved futile. I don’t think the government has the will to locate this rare copy of Quran,” Zarief Ahmad Zarief, chairman Valley Citizen’s council told Greater Kashmir.

Ironically, the department of state archives and archeology which failed to protect the rare copy of Quran, keeps on pleading with the people that if there are any manuscripts in their possession they should submit the same to the department.

“This is strange that a department which failed to protect a 400-year old copy of the handwritten Quran by a Mughal emperor is asking people to submit precious manuscripts if any in their possession. I have several old and unique handwritten books with me, which I would have proudly submitted to the department but after seeing the negligence of the officials I am not submitting these precious books to the government department.” Grand Mufti, Mufti Bashir-ud-Din told Greater Kashmir.

Pertinently, the Aurangzeb in his last words wrote: “I have been writing Quran and stitching caps to make an earning of 4 and 2 annas for living. My coffin should be purchased with this money. No other money should be spent for covering the body of a sinner. This is my last wish.”

Source: Greater Kashmir

 

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