Mangaluru
Mangaluru East police initiated legal action after a video of namaz being performed on a street went viral. City police commissioner Anupam Agrawal stated that the incident occurred in a public area in front of a mosque at Kankanady on May 24.
Upon reviewing the footage, it was decided that the act caused obstruction to pedestrians and vehicles.
Consequently, a suo motu case has been filed against unidentified individuals under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) and 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly), along with 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object).
Necessary action has been taken, he stated. Earlier during the day, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) strongly condemned the practice of offering namaz on roads and public places in Mangaluru. VHP’s prantha sahakaryadarshi, Sharan Pumpwel, issued a warning, stating that if such practices continue, the organisation will conduct mass recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa at the same location. Pumpwell claimed that instances of public namaz in Dakshina Kannada are part of a conspiracy to create unrest in the district, and called on the district administration to take action.
Members of the VHP presented a memorandum to the Mangaluru East police, urging them to take action against those who conduct namaz on the road. They emphasised the seriousness of the incident, and highlighted that despite the availability of ample space at the mosque, performing namaz on the road inconvenienced the public.
