Surat police have arrested 5 youths for allegedly organising a mass prayer on the night of May 6, which was in violation of the police commissioner-mandated prohibitory orders restraining a congregation of people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As per Rander police, as many as 40 Muslims had gathered at Al Noor residency at Tadwadi and were offering namaz en masse, when the police raided the place and stopped them. The police later arrested the 5 organisers of the event, namely, Ashfak Navivala, Aslam Nathani, Ashraf Khimani, Vahab Godhil and Noman Vadharia, all residents of Al Noor residency.
Rander police said that IPC sections 188, 269, and relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Disease Act have been invoked against the accused.
Mob pelts stones, attacks police for asking them to not offer namaz in huge crowd
This is not the first instance when mobs have defied the lockdown restrictions and assembled in large numbers to offer namaz. Last month, when the Wuhan Coronavirus cases were spiralling in various parts of the country, an unruly mob in Kapadvanj, Gujarat attacked policemen and pelted stones after the cops asked them to not gather in a huge crowd for offering namaz.
The mob gathered in large number and attacked Kundvav police chowki and Town police station. Two bikes and one car were burnt down by the mob. The Kundvav police station was also destroyed by the mob. The mob then proceeded to attack the Town police station and started pelting stones. To control the violent mob, police had to resort to using tear gas. In all this, one police personnel was injured.
