Lockdown: 13 people booked for gathering outside mosque for Friday prayers in UP's Bahraich

A case has been registered against 13 people, including the imam of a mosque, in Payagpur police station area here for violating the lockdown and gathering for offering Friday prayers.

Despite the lockdown and Section 144 of CrPC in force, over a dozen people assembled outside a mosque in Bilrava village for offering Friday prayers, SHO Rajkumar Saroj said on Saturday.

As soon as a police contingent reached there, all the people fled the place, Saroj said.

A case has been registered against 13 people including the imam of the mosque Nazar Ali under Indian Penal Code Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease) and the Epidemic Diseases Act while efforts are underway to catch hold of them, the SHO added.

In a similar incident on Friday, police said 10 people were arrested in Kaiserganj area of the district in Bairi Maheshpur village when some persons gathered to offer Friday prayers despite lockdown restrictions.