Police briefly detained the madrassa manager and the man who had donated the fan after a photograph of the Pakistani-made appliance went viral on social media
A routine repair job at a madrassa in Kushinagar snowballed into a police probe after the repairman discovered “Made in Pakistan” written on a ceiling fan.
The Uttar Pradesh Police have detained two people and are verifying the origin of the fan.
What happened
The incident took place at Madrasa Qadriya Haqiqatul Uloom in Gosai Patti locality of Jungle Vishunpura village under Vishunpura police station limits. Police briefly detained the madrassa manager and the man who had donated the fan after a photograph of the Pakistani-made appliance went viral on social media.
According to police, three ceiling fans installed at the madrassa had developed technical faults and were sent to a local mechanic for repairs. During the repair work, the mechanic discovered that one of the fans carried a “Made in Pakistan” marking on its rear side.
The mechanic, identified as Akbar, said two of the fans were repaired without difficulty, but the third fan could not be opened easily. While examining it, he noticed the Pakistani label. He later searched online for information related to the fan. During this time, a youth present at the shop allegedly photographed the label and circulated the image on social media, following which the matter quickly drew attention in the locality.
Soon after the image spread online, two individuals reportedly reached the repair shop and questioned the mechanic about the fan. They later informed Vishunpura police station, prompting police teams to visit the madrasa and begin an inquiry.
What police said
Vishunpura Station House Officer Vinay Mishra said the police first reached the madrasa but learned that the fan had already been sent for repairs. The fan was subsequently seized and brought to the police station for examination.
Police also took madrasa manager Mohammad Yunus and village resident Shamshuddin, who had donated the fan, into custody for questioning.
During interrogation, Shamshuddin told investigators that his son, Wajid Ansari, has been working as a labourer in Saudi Arabia for nearly a decade. According to the family, Wajid had purchased the fan in Saudi Arabia in 2020 for around 80 Saudi Riyals and later shipped it to his home in Kushinagar through cargo services.
In 2023, the family donated the fan to the madrasa after the institution sought assistance from villagers to help students cope with the summer heat.
Police officials said they contacted Wajid Ansari through a video call and sought documents related to the purchase and transportation of the fan. After examining the documents, investigators found no discrepancy or illegal transaction linked to the appliance.
Officials also conducted a search and verification exercise at the madrasa premises but said nothing suspicious was found during the inquiry. Following the verification process, both Yunus and Shamshuddin were released.
What the madrassa teacher said
Madrassa teacher Mohammad Merajuddin said the institution is run through community donations and contributions from local residents. He said the madrasa had appealed for help in arranging fans for children suffering due to the heat, following which Shamshuddin donated the appliance.
“The fan had been functioning for nearly one-and-a-half years. The issue came to light only after it developed a fault and was sent for repairs,” he said.
The incident nevertheless sparked political reactions in the district. Member of the Uttar Pradesh Backward Classes Commission, Phoolbad Kushwaha, said he would meet district authorities and seek a detailed probe into how a Pakistan-manufactured fan reached the madrasa.
