Baba Bulleh Shah Shrine in Mussoorie Vandalised; Three Booked, Religious Texts Damaged
New Delhi: A case has been registered against three persons for allegedly vandalising the century-old shrine of Punjabi mystic poet and reformer Baba Bulleh Shah in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, late on Saturday (January 24), officials said. The attack also left two nearby shrines completely destroyed and damaged the donation box. Twenty-five to thirty unidentified persons have also been named in the case.
According to the FIR cited by news agency ANI, the shrine, located within the premises of Wynberg-Allen School in Mussoorie, was targeted using hammers and iron rods. Religious books kept inside the structure were also damaged. The accused have been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita related to acts prejudicial to communal harmony, disturbing public tranquillity, and defiling places of worship with intent to insult a religion. No arrests have been made so far and the matter remains under investigation.
In Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Sufi poet Baba Bulleh Shah's shrine was vandalised by fringe elements associated with Hindu Raksha Dal. These goons were seen chanting Religious slogans while vandalising the interiors of the Shrine. pic.twitter.com/l46usWTbcJ
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 25, 2026
Members of the Baba Bulleh Shah Committee reached the location soon after the incident and voiced concern over what they described as a deliberate attempt to disturb communal harmony. “The incident was not merely damage to a religious site but a conspiracy to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of Mussoorie,” committee president Rajat Agarwal was quoted as saying by ETV Bharat.
“The shrine was located on the property of a private school, and the school administration had granted permission for its establishment years ago. Administrative inquiries had earlier found no encroachment,” Agarwal added.
Bulleh Shah is widely seen as a symbol of communal harmony. In the past, some right-wing groups had opposed the expansion of the Mussoorie shrine, alleging it was illegally built on government land, an assertion denied by the shrine committee, the ETV Bharat report mentioned.
Former municipal chairman Manmohan Singh described the vandalism as deeply unfortunate, stating that Mussoorie has long stood for brotherhood and communal harmony. He said such incidents harm the town’s image and urged authorities to identify those responsible and ensure strict action to prevent similar acts.
Followers of Baba Bulleh Shah condemned the act, saying the shrine has always spread a message of love, humanity and brotherhood, attracting devotees from different faiths. They warned of protests if swift action is not taken against those involved. Bulleh Shah's shrine located in Kasur, Pakistan, draws followers from across the globe.
Meanwhile, Pinky Chaudhary, the chief of the Hindu Raksha Dal, said on social media on Saturday that he “salutes” the Hindutva group’s Uttarakhand unit and shared a video of the shrine vandalisation incident.
“My Hindu Raksha Dal team today sent Bulleh Shah, who was in Devbhoomi for 70 years, back to Pakistan,” he said.
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