Lucknow: Over 250 people, along with Intezamia Committee (which manages the Idgah) have been booked in Hapur for offering namaaz (prayers) on the road outside the Idgah premises allegedly without police ‘permission’ on the occasion of Eid last Saturday. This comes days after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued an order banning religious programmes on the road if traffic is obstructed after some Hindu organisations protested against namaaz on roads.
A case has been registered under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for violating Section 144, the police said.
Local residents claimed they had been “victimised” by the police and members of a Right-wing group, who had “blatant disregard” for the Constitution which gives everyone the freedom to worship.
According to CO Hapur Satyaveer Singh, they had issued guidelines regarding Eid prayers after conducting a meeting with the peace committee.
“An instruction regarding Eid prayer was given that namaaz should be held in Idgah premises and if someone is not able to offer namaaz in Idgah due to overcrowding, then special arrangements will be made. As soon as the namaaz started at around 7:30 a.m on Eid, a large number of people started offering prayers on the streets outside the Idgah, which is a violation of Section 144. When the police removed them from the road, they started offering prayers in the graveyard and an empty plot near Idgah,” Singh told reporters.
City Kotwali in-charge, Inspector Sanjay Pandey, told local reporters that a case had been filed against 250 unknown people, including members of the Intezamia Committee, under Sections 186, 188, 283, 341 and 353 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). A video of people offering Eid namaaz on the road was also recorded by the police. People will be identified on the basis of video after which legal action will be taken against them, Pandey added…
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