Uttar Pradesh: Cops attacked for stopping Friday prayers in Kannauj

KANPUR: A group of namazis, who had gathered at a house in Qaziyan locality of Kannauj to offer Friday prayers defying lockdown norms, attacked and injured police and local intelligence unit (LIU) personnel when they told them to vacate the premises.
Reports said on Friday afternoon, a police team on routine patrolling in Mohalla Qaziyan under the limits of Kotwali police station received information that a group of more than two dozen men has assembled in a house to offer Friday prayer.The team reached the house and urged the gathering to abide by the lockdown orders and vacate the house and maintain social distancing in the view of the surging coronavirus cases in the country.
However, a few among the gathering, not paying any heed to the requests, entered into an altercation with the police and resorted to stone pelting in which LIU personnel Rajveer Singh, police out-post in charge and SI -Anand Pandey and constable Saudan Singh were injured. The mob also damaged the motorcycle of LIU personnel.
The team somehow managed to escape from the site and alerted senior officers after which SDM (Sadar) Shailesh Kumar, CO (City) Shrikant Prajapati, ASP Vinod Kumar and Inspector Kotwali Saudan Singh reached the site. However by then the trouble-makers had fled.
Many attackers from the locality have reportedly fled after this incident. However, the police claimed to have picked up four suspects and is monitoring the entire area by drone cameras.
SP Kannauj Amrendra Prasad Singh said, “The situation is now under control. Searches are being conducted to nab those involved in the attack. The entire area is now being monitored by drone cameras. Four suspects have been picked up for questioning while the injured personnel have been admitted to hospital. All those absconding will be arrested soon and no one will be allowed to violate lockdown rules.”
On March 26, a group of men had assembled at a mosque in Mainpuri district and attacked the policemen for asking to avoid mass prayers (namaz) in the view of nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.