Stolen alam yet to be traced

Alam installed in the name of Imam-e-Hussain in 1950s

The Telangana police solve thousands of property offences, including “sensational cases” reported in the state every year. Yet, some cases remain unsolved for reasons best known to the police.

Fifteen years have passed since the sensational “Alam” (standards) at Aza Khana-e-Zohra at Darulshifa was reported stolen and it remains unsolved. The theft was reported on April 11, 2003 wherein unidentified persons had made away with the standard made off an alloy comprising five metals, including gold and silver. The three-feet-long standard was installed in the name of Imam-eHussain by Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan in the 1950s.

“The Nizam had made two sets of the standard and after the theft of the first one, in presence of the then police commissioner M.V. Bhaskar Rao and additional commissioner of police A.K. Khan, the second set kept in the safe was installed,” recalls Syed Hamed Hussain Jaffery, president Shia Youth Conference.

The police had registered a case at the Mirchowk police station and took up investigation. The police had formed special teams and took into custody several suspects for investigation. Nevertheless, it was not solved.

Later, police teams were sent to several cities in the country and three foreign countries as part of the investigation.

“Till date there is no success. To be frank, it is the failure of the police to crack down the case although 15 years have passed,” said Mir Firasat Ali Baqri, a Shia leader.

Adviser to the government on minority affairs, A.K. Khan, who was the then additional commissioner of police, and supervised the investigation several times, said that the police are hopeful of cracking the case. Mr Khan reiterated that when he became the commissioner of police too.