Cops were attacked by unidentified assailants in Bhagalpur as they tried to stop people from gathering on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat Thursday night. Representational pic

A group of unidentified assailants attacked cops in Bhagalpur as they tried to stop people from gathering on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat Thursday night. According to reports, when cops arrived at a graveyard to urge people not to assemble in large numbers, a few from the group started pelting stones and allegedly opened fire. The incident took place near a graveyard in Habibpur’s Momin Tola on Thursday night. A police Home Guard suffered serious injuries in the attack, local reports have claimed.

Soon after learning about the incident, SP City Sushant Kumar Saroj and other top officials rushed to the spot. Police later conducted a flag march to instil confidence in the public and urged them to stay indoors and follow the lockdown.

The administration had to rope in religious leaders from the community to persuade people not to come out of their homes and observe the occasion solemnly. Even announcements were made from the Masjids to convince the people.

Shab-e-Barat, also known as the night of forgiveness, is celebrated by Muslims across the country. People from the Muslims visit graveyards in large numbers to remember their relatives on the occasion. This year, however, people were asked not to gather near mosques or in streets for the festival in the wake of the coronavirus threat. Government and authorities had urged Muslims to stay indoors and follow lockdown restrictions.

Bhagalpur is one of the 38 districts in Bihar. It is home to 30 lakh people. Muslims comprise nearly 18% of the total population.

Meanwhile, Bihar on Thursday has reported a sudden spurt of COVID-19 cases after 19 people tested positive for the infection, taking the total number to 58. Siwan district has emerged as a hotspot for the virus in the state, accounting for 17 of the fresh cases.