Amidst the rising cases of Coronavirus in the country, a mosque caretake was reportedly thrashed by fellow Muslims for trying to enforce social distancing guidelines at a masjid. The incident took place on Saturday (April 24) in Devinagar in the Paonta Sahib town of Himachal Pradesh, as per a report in Amar Ujala.
As per reports, the victim has been identified as Abdul Aleem. He informed the police that he has been the caretaker of the Medina masjid for over 5 years. A resident of Ward No. 9, Aleem reportedly goes to the masjid every day to ensure its smooth function. At around 8 pm on Saturday night, he went to offer Namaz at the masjid. However, he found 20-30 locals offering prayers at the mosque premises in violation of social distancing rules.
The victim informed that government rules dictate that not more than 5 people can offer Namaz at one time at the masjid. When he tried to convey the same to the locals, it led to a heated argument. The frenzied mob then attacked the masjid caretaker Abdul Aleem. He was assaulted with sticks, and he fell to the ground. When the victim’s son Abdul Habej tried to intervene, he was also hit on the head with sticks.
During the violent attack, both Abdul Aleem and his son Abdul Habej were badly injured. They were rushed to the hospital and are currently undergoing medical treatment. A case has been registered against the accused by the police. According to District Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bir Bahadur, an investigation has been launched into the case. As of April 26, Himachal Pradesh has reported 13,577 active cases and a total of 1,336 fatalities.
