MP: 40 booked for gathering at mosque amid COVID-19 lockdown

Chhindwara (MP), Apr 10 () A case was registeredagainst 40 men for allegedly violating the COVID-19 lockdown,by gathering at a mosque in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwaradistrict, police said on Friday.

At least 40 people, including the sarpanch ofKhairikhurd village, were found offering namaz at a mosque atthe village in Chourai tehsil, 38 km from the districtheadquarters, on Thursday night, inspector Mukesh Dwivedisaid.

A police patrol party got an alert about a gatheringat the mosque amid section 144 (banning assembly of fivepersons or above) of Criminal Procedure Code imposed in thearea, he said.

The men were charged under sections 188 (disobedienceto order promulgated by a public servant) and 269 (unlawful ornegligent act likely to spread infection of a dangerousdisease) of Indian Penal Code, the official said.

They were also booked under the Disaster ManagementAct, Madhya Pradesh Epidemic Diseases Act, Madhya PradeshPublic Health Act 1949 and Epidemic Act 1897, the officialsaid, adding that the men were subsequently granted bail. COR LAL MASARU ARU