Lockdown violation: 28 arrested for offering prayers in mosque in UP

A case has been registered against 28 people who have gathered in a mosque to offer prayers in the wee hours of Monday. Police said 4-5 people absconded from the spot, will be arrested soon.

Auraiya (Uttar Pradesh):Twenty-eight people were arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya district for offering prayers at a mosque despite lockdown in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

On the occasion of Eid, several people of a community have gathered in a mosque which comes under Ajitmal jurisdiction. When the news of the gathering in a mosque comes in the notice of Auraiya SP, he directed the Ajitmal SHO to vacate the mosque at earliest.

"28 people have been arrested for violating lockdown by offering prayers at a mosque in Ajitmal area," according to Circle Officer Kamlesh Narayan Pandey.

The local claimed that more than 35 people were there in the congregation in which 10-12 are below 15 age group.

Meanwhile, the police have started a search operation to nab the absconded people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 had announced to close the gates of religious places in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

According to the state health press briefing on Sunday, the state has 6,017 cases of coronavirus in which 158 people have lost their lives while battling the deadly disease originated from China's Wuhan province.