Wednesday, February 9 2005 12:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The tomb of poet Amir Khusro in south Delhi was vandalised yesterday (Feb 08, 2005) and one person was detained in this connection, police sources said.

Mohammad Bakul Khan, a rice merchant from Malda, West Bengal, entered the premises of the tomb near the 'dargah' of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia shortly after 'namaz' yesterday morning and tried to break its door.

When a guard tried to stop him, he entered the tomb and allegedly damaged a cupboard and broke a glass pane and some light fittings.

He then came out and damaged part of a cement fence outside the tomb. Police reached the spot by that time and arrested him. He was later remanded to judicial custody.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South district) Praveer Ranjan said that the man seemed to be in a "hysterical state and apparently had a history of hysteria".

Khan was part of a 56-member tourist party that had arrived in Delhi on Monday (Feb 07, 2005) to offer prayers at the 'dargah' of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. His mother and son were part of the party, which was to later go to Ajmer in Rajasthan.

Khusro was a 13th century Persian poet who contributed greatly to Indian classical music. He was one of the best-known disciples of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia.