As many as 153 booked for offering namaz on road in Agra, accused of ‘promoting enmity’

Agra, April 23

Agra Police has registered an FIR against three named and 150 unknown persons for offering ‘taravih namaz’ on a public road, police here said on Saturday.

The case has been registered under section 188 (disobeying a public order), and 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code and section 3 and section 5 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, police said.

SSP Agra Sudheer Kumar Singh told reporters that the FIR has been registered against these people for violating the terms and conditions set for organising the namaz.

The ‘taravih namaz’, which is conducted at night, was held on a public road at Imli Wali Masjid in Agra city.

“An investigation has been launched into the matter and we will take action accordingly,” Singh said.

MM Gate Police Station SHO Awadhesh Kumar Awasthi said that an FIR was registered in the matter on April 8 at the MM Gate Police Station.

“An FIR has been lodged against Sayyad Irfan, Haseen, and Shami Aghai and 150 others unknown persons who offered ‘taravih namaz’ on a public road at Imli wali masjid,” he told PTI.

He said the people were granted permission on April 1 by the Assistant District Magistrate, City, to hold the ‘taravih namaz’ at a mosque in Gur Ki Mandi area in Agra.

He said they had been given the slot from 8 pm to 10 pm on April 2—the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan—to offer the namaz.

“But the organisers violated the terms and conditions and organised the namaz on road by blocking the traffic,” Awasthi said.

He said the ADM withdrew his permission for namaz on April 4 after he was informed about the “violation” of conditions laid down.

One of the organisers of the namaz denied the allegations and claimed they had followed the terms and conditions.

He also claimed that no traffic was blocked and they have been following this tradition for the past 40 years.