20 arrested for trying to recite Hanuman Chalisa in Lucknow's Lulu Mall
A video purportedly showing some people offering namaz at the mall surfaced on social media on Tuesday. Right-wing outfits objected to people offering namaz inside the mall and sought permission from the authorities concerned to recite the Hanuman Chalisa there, which was declined.
Lucknow: Twenty people were arrested after they tried to enter the newly inaugurated Lulu Mall in Lucknow and recite the Hanuman Chalisa without permission, police said on Saturday, adding they were sent to judicial custody.
Security outside the mall — which opened for public on July 11 a day after it was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath — was heightened to avert any trouble, a senior police officer said.
“On July 15, 20 people carrying flags and shouting slogans tried to enter the Lulu mall to say religious prayers without permission…their intention was to deliberately disturb the communal harmony,” the Lucknow police commissionerate said in a press note on Saturday. “All 20 were arrested and sent to judicial custody.”
The development comes after police on Thursday night lodged an FIR under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295A (deliberate act intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code against a group of unidentified people who allegedly offered namaz at the mall recently.
Also Read: Lulu Mall in Lucknow lodges FIR against unidentified people for offering namaz
A video purportedly showing a group of people offering namaz at the mall surfaced on social media on Tuesday. Right-wing outfits objected to people offering namaz inside the mall and sought permission from the authorities concerned to recite the Hanuman Chalisa there, which was declined, said a police officer.
Late on Saturday night, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) South, Gopal Krishna Choudhary was shifted after the controversy. Subash Chandra Shakya, who was DCP Traffic, has been made new DCP South. Inspector in-charge, Sushant Golf City police station, Ajay Pratap Singh was also removed for negligence and he was replaced by inspector Shailendra Giri from the Gosaiganj police station.
The mall management on Friday put up a notice stating that “no religious prayers will be permitted inside the mall”.
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