Cops attacked for stopping mass prayers; 90 detained in Karnataka

On a day the Centre revealed that 647 COVID-19 positive cases reported in the last two days in the country were linked to the Tablighi Markaz congregation, the police had a tough time preventing Friday prayer gatherings in the country.

While 91 people were detained in Shivamogga and Ballari districts when they tried to congregate for Friday prayers, worshipers attacked the police in Hubballi and Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh when they tried to stop them from offering mass prayers. However, in Hubballi, worshipers said policemen entered the mosque with shoes on and even beat up people there.

At Kumsi in Shivamogga district, the police took more than 70 people who had gathered for prayers into custody. The worshipers at Kesavinakatte near Ayanur-Harnahalli were charged with violating lockdown directives and were told to remain in quarantine for 14 days.

In Kumsi, doctors said seven persons who attended the mass prayer had fever. In Hagaribommanahalli of Ballari district, the police detained 21 people for taking part in a mass prayer.

They were shifted to the district McGann Teaching Hospital in Shivamogga but showed no signs of COVID-19 symptoms. The rest have been lodged in a school building in the village.

Shivamogga superintendent of police K M Shantaraju told DH, “We had requested them not to gather for mass prayer. While a majority of them remained at home, around 70 people gathered at the masjid. We rushed to the spot on learning about the gathering and locked the masjid after sending them out.”

In Ballari, tahsildar Ashappa Pujar said a case has been registered against all the 21 persons. In Hubballi, more than 50 people, including women, hurled stones on policemen at Aralikatti Oni on Mantur Road when they tried to prevent them from gathering for the Friday prayer. Five policemen, including assistant sub-inspector M K Kale, constables S H Policegoudar, Y B Morab, M B Basannavar, and P S Bachagondi, attached to the Town Police Station, were injured.

More policemen rushed to the spot and dispersed the mob. Town police registered a case against Davalsab Nadaf, Basha Bepari and others, and investigation is on, while five persons were detained.

“People were asked not to gather, but they assumed that the police were preventing a prayer itself. Later, religious leaders and senios members of the community pacified them,” DCP P Krishnakanth said.

“When they were asked not to gather and offer prayers at home, they abused the policemen, and started hurling stones and footwear, asking the police not to interfere in their religious matters” said police inspector M S Patil.

Police commissioner R Dileep, DCP P Krishnakanth, and Muslim leaders visited the spot and convinced people to avoid crowding Noorjahan Nadaf (56) of Aralikatti Oni, who was also injured in the incident, and her son Dadapeer, alleged that residents did not hurl stones, but claimed the police caned them unnecessarily due to which his mother was injured.