Indian police have arrested four Muslim men for offering prayer (namaz) without permission at a private property in the Jam Samant village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district.
It is alleged that the accused converted the site into a makeshift mosque by covering it.
Three others, including the village pradhan Mohammad Arif, also named in the case, are absconding. The police are conducting raids to apprehend them.
The incident came to light after a Hindu organization shared a video of the location on social media. Following an inquiry, the police confirmed the allegations and registered an FIR against seven people, including Arif and other local residents, at the Baheri police station. The case has been filed under Section 223 ( disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“We have arrested four people, including the village pradhan’s brother Mohammad Shahid, and have invoked charges of breach of peace against them,” said Sanjay Tomar, station house officer of the Baheri police station.
The location where the accused were allegedly offering namaz collectively and using it as a makeshift mosque is owned by the village pradhan’s family. They have since locked the premises following police action, said SHO Tomar. The Jam Samant village’s population is predominantly from the Muslim community. Police forces have been deployed to prevent any untoward incidents.
