Man caught on tape offering namaz at Meerut shopping complex, probe on
Premium- Days after namaz at Lucknow's Lulu Mall triggered controversy, another video of a man offering namaz allegedly at a shopping complex in Meerut has surfaced
Days after a video of a few men offering namaz (prayers) at Lucknow's Lulu Mall went viral, initiating police action, another video of a man offering namaz allegedly at a shopping complex in Meerut has surfaced on social media. The video of a man offering namaz at a Meerut shopping complex has prompted police to launch an investigation into the case.
Meerut Circle Officer (CO) Devesh Singh told news agency PTI that the authenticity of the video allegedly of the Meerut mall is being ascertained.
District convener of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell, Digvijay Singh, had tweeted the purported video. Digvijay Singh claimed that namaz was offered at S2S Square Complex located on Garh Road in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
The Meerut Police said the Nauchandi police station incharge has been asked to investigate the matter.
Police station incharge Jitendra Kumar Singh said according to information received so far, some work was being carried out at a shop in the complex and the man might have offered prayers then, according to news agency PTI.
WHAT IS LULU MALL CONTROVERSY?
Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested seven people in connection with the "unauthorised" offering of namaz at a shopping mall in Lucknow.
A video of some people offering namaz at Lulu Mall in Lucknow had surfaced on social media on July 13.
The Lulu Mall incident kicked up a row after a right-wing Hindu group protested against the incident and sought permission to recite Hanuman Chalisa at the mall.
Some members of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha staged a sit-in at the gate of Lulu Mall day after the video of namaz being offered at the mall surfaced.
Shishir Chaturvedi, who said he was the national spokesperson of the Mahasabha, alleged that people belonging to a particular community were being allowed to offer prayers inside the mall. He also demanded that other religions should also be allowed to offer prayers inside the mall.
The action was taken after CM Yogi Adityanath directed the Lucknow administration to act tough against elements "hell-bent on vitiating the atmosphere" in the state.
Sameer Verma, general manager of the mall in Lucknow, said, "Lulu Mall respects all religions. Any kind of religious work or prayer is not permitted here. We train our floor staff and security staff to keep an eye on such activities."
(With agency inputs)
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