Malegaon police book 5 who offered namaz at civic body for obstructing public servants

Nashik: The Malegaon Killa police on Thursday registered a case against five people who were part of a group that offered namaz in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation's electricity department office on Monday. The five have been booked on charges of unlawful assembly and obstructing public servants from performing duties. An employee of the department had lodged the complaint. On Thursday, additional superintendent of police Teghbir Singh Sandhu said, "The complainant has said that a few people offered namaz, which obstructed work in the office. Five people have been booked section 132 of the BNS (obstructing govt work in govt office)." Asked if anybody had been arrested yet, Sandhu said, "We have received the video of the people offering namaz in the office from the complainant. We will first verify, then carry out the investigations, and then take steps warranted."On Monday, a delegation of the Loksangharsh Morcha visited the electricity department office in the corporation to demand power supply that had been disrupted. "We wanted to present our case, and that is why we wanted to see the officer in his office. Since it was the time to offer namaz, we were left with no option but to offer it on the spot," said one of the members.The incident created a furore on Wednesday as opposition parties in the Malegaon civic body and right-wing organisations demanded action against those who offered namaz. They also recited the Hanuman Chalisa in the same office. A delegation of the right-wing organisations presented a memorandum to the corporation, following which the officer concerned registered a complaint with the police.On Thursday, Mayor Nasrin Shaikh acknowledged that namaz had indeed been offered in the office, but added that no such thing would be allowed in any public office under the jurisdiction of the corporation again. "Namaz was offered as they (the visiting group) had to do it within a fixed time in the holy month of Ramzan. We will, henceforth, take strict measures to ensure that no one offers namaz or recites Hanunman chalisa in the office.""The complainant is the employee of the MMC, and he has alleged that at least five people offered namaz in the office. Since it was obstructing the public servants from performing their duties, a complaint under section 132 of the BNS (obstructing govt work in govt office) has been registered," said the officer.