The Ahmadiyya place of worship was vandalised by unidentified men in the Doliyan Jatan area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Kotli district, the community and sources said, taking this year’s tally to 40.

In a statement, the Jamaat Ahmaddiya spokesperson said that at least 40 unidentified men on motorcycles attacked the place of worship in the area before Friday prayers.

The statement added that men destroyed the minarets and niche of the worship place and left while chanting religious slogans. “This worship place was built in 1954,” it said and added that the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Narr Police Station in the district.

In the past, the community has cited a Lahore High Court ruling stating that their places of worship built prior to Ordinance XX of 1984 were legal and should not be razed or altered.

The spokesperson said the community had filed a police complaint but no FIR had been registered as of Friday evening.

It added that at least 40 Ahmadiyya worship places have so far been desecrated this year. The community urged the authorities to take action against the culprits.

In September, police arrested three people after an Ahmadiyya place of worship was vandalised in Karachi’s Saddar area.

A group of unidentified men had broken the minarets, vandalized the place, and raised inciting slogans.