An FIR was filed by the JJ Marg police in Mumbai against trustees of Sunni Shafi Masjid at Temkar street in Nagpada for breaching the government orders forbidding assembly of people amidst the coronavirus outbreak in the country. As many as 150 people had gathered in the mosque to offer namaz prayers on Monday.

According to a police official, they got information on Monday afternoon that about 100-150 were believed to have gathered at the Shafi Masjid to offer namaz prayers in contravention to the orders issued under CrPC section 144 banning assembly of people in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The orders covered all religious places as well.

A team of police officials led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Avinash Dharmadhikari reached the masjid and dispersed the congregated crowd. Later, an offence was filed against the mosque trustees including Majal Badwan Kuni, under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and also under other pertinent sections of the Maharashtra Police Act.

ACP Dharmadhikari said that though an FIR has been filed, there have been no arrests in the case so far and a probe t investigate the who matter is ordered.

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As a preventive measure to curb the mounting coronavirus cases across the state, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray announced a state-wide strict implementation of curfew. Maharashtra’s capital, Mumbai, had reported 14 new cases of covid19 in the last 24 hours, raising alarm bells for the health authorities who claim such a steady increase in the count of positive coronavirus case can render a grim situation in the state.

In view of this, Uddhav Thackeray exhorted people to take the lockdown in the state as a war against covid-19 seriously, invoking Section 144 of CrPC and suspending all non-essential services in the state till March 31. He warned that people should not be violating the rules by crowding public places.