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Calcutta High Court Denies Interim Prayer Resumption at Kolkata Airport Mosque
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News18•01-10-2026, 21:15
Calcutta High Court Denies Interim Prayer Resumption at Kolkata Airport Mosque
- •The Calcutta High Court declined interim resumption of prayers at the Bankra Mosque inside NSCBI International Airport, fixing October 7 for the next hearing.
- •Justice Krishna Rao cited a recent incident where an Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, fought off a co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash a flydubai flight, highlighting global security concerns.
- •The mosque, predating the airport by over a century, had prayers stopped on July 11, with petitioners arguing for regulated access to continue.
- •Additional Solicitor General Dhiraj Trivedi opposed the prayer, emphasizing national security concerns and the drastically changed security landscape since a 1993 hijacking.
- •The Airports Authority of India (AAI) stated there have been security breaches, with individuals accessing the apron area near the mosque, and claimed mosque authorities were agreeable to relocation.
Key Questions Answered
The Calcutta High Court declined to grant an interim order allowing the resumption of prayers at the Bankra Mosque situated within the NSCBI International Airport and adjourned the hearing to October 7, 2026.
Access to the over-a-century-old mosque was stopped due to national security concerns, operational challenges near the airport's runway, and incidents where people visiting the mosque were found in the apron area.
The Bankra Mosque, also known as the Gauripur Jama Masjid, is approximately 136 years old and predates the establishment of the airport, which began functioning in 1924.