The incident unfolded around 6pm in the Thakurganj area when Jawad, accompanied by supporters and lawyers, arrived at the site to review reported encroachments. A group of unidentified men hurled bricks and stones at his vehicle, smashing the windshield and causing damage to the car, though no injuries were reported. The alarmed supporters and onlookers intervened, and local police eventually intervened to contain the situation.
Eyewitnesses say the attackers boxed in Jawad’s entourage, shouted slogans — at times invoking religious overtones — and physically assaulted the vehicle in what the cleric later described as a premeditated attempt on his life. “There were goons already standing there. They stopped us, banged on the car, pushed us,” Jawad said, adding that he believed the assault was deliberately timed when the police were present but inactive.
Jawad accused certain police officers of filming him and his team rather than preventing the attack. He asserted that prior complaints filed against the same elements had gone unaddressed, allowing tensions to escalate to physical violence. He vowed to court arrest if the authorities did not act decisively against the accused.
The caretaker of Karbala Abbas Bagh, Syed Sarim Mehdi, lodged a formal complaint at Thakurganj police station. The FIR names individuals including Pankaj, Mujammil, Shajan, Rachit Tandon and Siraj, along with 20–25 unidentified persons, and cites sections related to assault, attempt to murder, obstruction of lawful duty, and rioting.
Thakurganj Station House Officer Omveer Singh Chauhan confirmed receipt of the complaint and stated that investigations were underway. He said an FIR would be registered and lawful action taken based on evidence. Enhanced security was deployed at the site to maintain order.
Following the assault, Jawad staged a sit-in protest at the Karbala precinct. He demanded immediate government intervention and alleged that the attack bore the hallmarks of “mafia elements” fighting to preserve their hold on the land. The protest was lifted after senior police officers arrived and offered assurances of stern action against the perpetrators.
The Karbala property in question is managed under Waqf jurisdiction. According to Mehdi and the cleric, unauthorised constructions have been creeping onto the site over months, and formal petitions to local authorities had failed to stop the encroachments. Jawad claimed the site had been persistently threatened by interested parties comfortable in impunity.
Kalbe Jawad Naqvi holds a prominent position in the Shia religious establishment and has a long history of involvement in community causes, particularly regarding protection of religious properties.