Entry to 136-yr-old Kolkata airport mosque stopped indefinitely
Airport authorities in Kolkata have indefinitely suspended access to a 136-year-old mosque located within the airport's operational area. Officials cited security concerns regarding the use of Aadhaar cards for entry, despite previous arrangements.
Why it matters
The closure has sparked community concern and highlights the tension between religious access and airport security protocols.
KOLKATA: Entry to the 136-year-old Bankra mosque, located within the operational area of Kolkata airport, has been stopped indefinitely, airport authorities said on Sunday, citing security concerns over allowing access solely on the basis of Aadhaar cards. On Saturday, authorities had said access to the Gouripur Jame Masjid would remain suspended for two days as rain had damaged the approach road, necessitating urgent repairs. They had added that devotees would be allowed to offer prayers from Monday if the repair was completed on schedule.“The repair is complete but permission to offer namaz at the mosque cannot be granted at present because of security concerns raised by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS),” a senior Kolkata airport official said.Till Friday, around 70 devotees were allowed to offer prayers at the mosque every day in different time slots after producing their Aadhaar cards before CISF, which is responsible for security at…
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in