Coronavirus: Masjid trustees booked for lockdown violation

Trustees of a masjid in Bhiwandi were booked for holding namaz despite prohibitory orders in force in Thane district in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, police said on Monday. DCP (Zone II) Rajkumar Shinde said the trustees of Asbibi Masjid were booked under section 188 of IPC as well as Disaster Management Act after 50-60 people assembled to offer prayers.

"Such gatherings have been banned under section 144 of CrPC," he said. Cases have also been egistered against a garage owner and a photocopy center owner by Bhoiwada police at Bhiwandi for keeping their establishments open, police said.

In Palghar district, 166 criminal cases have been registered so far for alleged violation of lockdown norms, an official said. They include 36 hotels and eight liquor shops.