Historic Qutub Shahi mosque partially damaged by lightning strike.

A lightning strike damaged a portion of the historic Masjid-e-Qutub Shahi mosque in Hyderabad. The strike caused one of the two main minarets to break and fall on the roof of the mosque, causing panic among the approximately 60-70 children who were present inside. The children were quickly sent back to their homes for safety. The mosque’s committee president estimated the damage to be around 3 lakhs and local MLA Kausar Mohiuddin visited the mosque to assess the damage. The mosque, located on the historic highway between Golconda and Charminar, is under the authority of the TS Waqf Board. Despite its historical significance, it does not fall under the purview of the Department of Heritage.