The police on Monday registered a case against 125 residents of Dongri after they allegedly violated the lockdown by offering janaza namaz (prayers offered for the soul of the departed) in the middle of the street last week.
Officers said the incident occurred on May 7, when a local resident named Babu Batatawala (72) passed away. A medical examination confirmed that he died of natural causes and the police had issued a warning to his friends and family, asking them to keep his last rites a low-key affair.
“The warning was issued keeping in mind the ongoing lockdown and due to the fact that a large crowd out on the streets was hardly feasible. However, since Batatawala was affiliated to the Raza Academy, several members gathered and others connected to the organisation held a janaza namaz on SVP Road, even placed his coffin on the road,” an officer with the Dongri police said.
After Batatawala’s last rites were completed, the police initiated inquiries into the matter and on Monday registered a case against 125 accused, charging them with disobeying an order promulgated by a public servant and negligent act with respect to an infectious disease under the Indian Penal Code along with relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act.
The officer said further course of action is being followed according to the law, although immediate arrests are unlikely given the large number of accused.
