SC to hear plea seeking stay on demolition of Afzal Khan tomb

Story by IANS | Posted by Tripti Nath | Date 10-11-2022

Supreme Court of India

New Delhi

The Supreme Court will hear on Friday a plea seeking a stay on the demolition of Afzal Khan's tomb in Satara in Maharashtra.

Advocate Nizam Pasha mentioned the matter today before the Supreme Court.

A bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Hima Kohli and Justice J.B. Pardiwala said that it will hear the matter tomorrow.The plea was filed by Hazrat Mohd Afzal Khans Memorial Society seeking to direct the State of Maharashtra to ensure that no damage is caused to the tomb/dargah of Afzal Khan situated in Pratapgarh, Satara, Maharashtra.

According to the petition, since Thursday morning. there are some news reports that the Tomb of Afzal Khan will be demolished today. "A local online news channel has been running live coverage of the demolition of unauthorized structures around Afzal Khan's Tomb in Satara, Maharashtra. Screenshots from the said live coverage show that men have climbed the roof of the tomb/dargah with the help of a ladder and are attempting to demolish it," the plea said.

The petitioner submitted that they are apprehensive that damage will be done or the tomb of Afzal Khan may be demolished today and appealed to the top Court to issue appropriate directions to protect the tomb of Afzal Khan that has existed on site since before November 1659.

According to the petition, Afzal Khan was a general who served the Adil Shahi dynasty of the Bijapur Sultanate in India and played an important role in the southern expansion of the Bijapur Sultanate by subjugating the Nayaka chiefs who had taken control of the former Vijayanagara territory. Afzal Khan was defeated and killed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on 20.11.1659, the petitioner said.

According to the petition, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur which formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire and is a duly venerated and important leader in Indian history.