Friday Prayer Crowd Dispersed By Police In West Bengal's Murshidabad

In West Bengal's Murshidabad district, the police had to disperse a crowd that had gathered for Friday prayers at a mosque. A video of the incident, that has gone viral, shows hundreds had gathered for the prayers.

The incident took place at Gopi Nagar masjid in Murshidabad district's Kandi area, 200 kilometres from Kolkata.

The police confirmed the incident saying they were on the rounds in the villages when they received word that there was a gathering at the Gopi Nagar mosque. A police contingent immediately rushed there and ordered the people out.

In the video, an officer in civil clothes is heard speaking over a megaphone, "Not one of you is wearing a mask."

According to KS Raj, the sub divisional police officer who was on the spot, the imam of the mosque was told not to hold any prayers till the lockdown was lifted or until further orders.

There was no resistance when the police ordered the people out. There were several senior citizens among the worshippers as well as very young children.

The police described the incident as a one-off. "People are aware of the lockdown, of the virus and the steps being taken by the government. They are cooperative. This was a one-off incident," the police official said.

The video has drawn flak from BJP leaders. Union Minister Babul Supriyo tweeted: "West Bengal for you! This is bound to happen when the chief minister throws in a sense of carelessness in the air by throwing open the flower and paan markets, sweet shops etc. When 1000s of test kits sent by centre lie unused. People go carefree believing that #COVID19 has been defeated."