300-yr-old Quran seized in Ajmer

Ajmer, Aug 9 (UNI) A 300-year-old Quran, written probably during the period of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, was seized by the police here.

The police seized the holy manuscript while assistant treasury officer in District Collectorate Ajay Sharma was trying to sell it off for Rs 1.5 crore at least four days back. However, Sharma escaped the police net.

During interrogations, Sharma revealed that the ancient holy script was given to him by Ajmer Railway Circle's sports secretary Goverdhan Bhati, who also fled.

The police lodged the case under the Antiquity and Art Treasurer Act and after initial interrogations let Sharma off. Thereafter Sharma and his family have disappeared.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Lalit Maheshwari said the police have sought more information from Tonk-based Arabic, French Language Research Centre and Delhi as a number of Qurans in Arabic and French were available at both these places. The police is assuming that the Quran may been stolen from one of these places and taking the help of Archaelogical department in this case.

State Musuem's curator Saiyad Aajam Hussain said the seized Quran may be 270 years old and may have been written during Aurangzeb's rule in 1159 hijri. This hand-written Quran has used golden and copper blue ink and each Arabic line was translated in French.

UNI