Srinagar, Sept. 6 -- A mob at Srinagar's revered Hazratbal Dargah vandalized the national Ashoka Emblem inscribed on a newly installed marble stone, igniting a political and religious controversy. The incident, which coincided with Eid-e-Milad celebrations, has sparked a heated row between political leaders and religious groups.

Reports indicate that a crowd, angered by the presence of the national symbol within the shrine's premises, deliberately damaged the emblem.

The marble plaque, which also bears the name of Darakhshan Andrabi, the chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, was part of a recent renovation project inaugurated on September 3. The group reportedly objected to the installation, citing religious prohibitions agai...