Lockdown: Two clerics among 32 people booked for gathering for Friday prayers in UP's Bahraich

Cases have been lodged against 32 people, including two clerics, for gathering in mosques for offering prayers on Friday in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh breaching lockdown restrictions, police said.

An FIR has been lodged against 23 people including the maulvi of Dihwa village under Bondi police station area for offering Friday prayers in a group, Superintendent of Police Vipin Mishra said.

In another similar incident in Chauksahar village under Khairi Ghat police station area, maulvi Ramzan Ali led a group to offer prayers in a mosque and an FIR was lodged against nine people including the cleric, the SP said.

The FIR was lodged under Indian Penal Code Sections 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 other sections, the SP said.

On Thursday, eight positive cases were reported from the district after which extra vigil is being maintained, Mishra said.

The district administration is continuously in contact with religious leaders and making appeals to people not to assemble for any religious or social programme.

The religious leaders have also been making similar appeals at the national, state and district level but people are coming out of their houses and trying to collect at places of religious importance and they have been warned of strict action if they try to break the lockdown, the SP warned.