Maharashtra is the worst-hit state by the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. Under such circumstances, many cases of people violating lockdown in the state have been observed throughout the month. In the latest such case, around forty Muslims in Aurangabad gathered on Monday at a mosque to offer ‘namaz’ completely defying the lockdown orders to curb the spread of the virus.
When the local police reached the spot to investigate the matter after a tip-off citing the ban on religious and social gatherings due to the ongoing health crisis in the country, the namaazis engaged in violence against the policemen. As per Aurangabad (rural) Superintendent of Police, Mokshada Patil, when some of them were arrested by the police for violating lockdown, the locals pelted stones on the police leading to injuries to some of the police officers.
Y’day,we received information that 40 people had gathered to offer namaz.When some of them were being brought to police station,locals pelted stones at police injuring 3 personnel.31 accused have been arrested&we’ll nab others soon:Aurangabad SP(rural),Mokshada Patil #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/G37phaULWf
— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2020
SP Patil said, “Yesterday, we received information that 40 people had gathered to offer namaz. When some of them were being brought to the police station, locals pelted stones at police injuring three personnel. 31 accused have been arrested and we will nab others soon.” The incident happened at 7:30 pm on Monday. SP Patil claimed that an FIR has been registered in connection with the same.
As per reports, the group that attacked the Police was also supported by women present in the area who also started attacking the Police. An officer and two other policemen were attacked and additional forces had to be summoned in order to prevent further attacks against them. The mob fled when the additional forces came to the aid of the policemen under attack. The three injured policemen have been hospitalised and are receiving treatment at a hospital in Paithan, Aurangabad.
Other instances when police attacked by Muslims
Policemen were attacked in Howrah, West Bengal on Tuesday after they entered the area to enforce the lockdown in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. It is one of the worst affected areas of West Bengal, second only to Kolkata. As per reports, two to three policemen were injured in the mob attack. The incident occurred at the Belilious Road in Howrah when the Police asked people defying the lockdown to go back to their homes. The mob also attacked the Tikiapara Police Station and pelted stones at the policemen. Bottles were also thrown at the Police. A heavy police force and RAF have been deployed in the area.
In another appalling incident, four cops were injured in an attack by a group owing allegiance to the Tablighi Jamaat in Madhubani, Bihar in early April. The policemen were attacked for admonishing them for defying the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the pandemic. Four were arrested in connection with the incident and efforts were on to nab the other accused. An attack was launched on policemen at Gomtipur in Ahmedabad when they went to search for members of the Tablighi Jamaat. Stones were pelted at the policemen one cop was injured. Two were detained over the matter.
