The Dongri police on Monday registered a case against around 125 residents of Dongri after they allegedly violated the ongoing lockdown by offering janaza namaaz – prayers offered for the soul of the departed – in the middle of the street last week.
Officers said that the incident pertains to May 7 this year, when a local resident named Babu Batatawala (72) passed away. A medical examination confirmed that he had died due to natural causes and the police subsequently issued a warning to his friends and family members, 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 Mr. Batatawala was affiliated to the Raza Academy, several members and others connected to the organisation held a janaza namaaz on the S.V.P Road in Dongri, even placing his coffin out on the road,” an officer with the Dongri police said.
The police, after Batatawala's last rites were completed, 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 added that further course of action is being followed according to the law, although immediate arrests are unlikely given the large number of accused.
