Amidst lockdown, two policemen arrested for offering prayer at a mosque in south Gujarat

A police inspector and a sub-inspector on Saturday were arrested and suspended for offering prayers at a mosque while they were on bandobast to implement lockdown and enforce closure of place of worship in Dangs district in south Gujarat.

Both the policemen have also been booked for violating section-188 of Indian Penal Code (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and section-51 (B) of National Disaster Management Act, 2005 (refusal to comply with the direction issued by government).

A release from the office of Surat Range Inspector General of Police, Rajkumar Pandian, stated that both the officers have been booked, arrested and suspended from work. Pandian didn't respond to call made by DH, however, the release stated, "Despite being policemen and knowing the rules, they breached them along with other persons. A case has been registered with Ahwa (district headquarters) police station."

When contacted, Dangs district Superintendent of Police Sweta Shrimali told DH, "The police inspector (I B Ajmeri) and sub-inspector (S S Daraiya) were posted in different police stations and were deployed to enforce lockdown in view of COVID-19 cases. They were supposed to see that all places of worship are closed as notified by a district collector. Instead of enforcing these, they were found to be offering prayers along with five to six others and that's why they have been suspended and booked."

Dangs is a tribal dominated district in the southern most part of Gujarat that has not yet reported any positive case of coronavirus. Health department data shows that 36 persons are under quarantine who are suspected to have some symptoms. The state has reported 108 COVID19 cases including 10 deaths till Saturday evening.