Lucknow: Lucknow police have arrested four people in the incident of Namaz at Lulumal. Dismissing the reports that the eight people who prayed at Lulu Mall on July 12 were non-Muslims, the police said that the four people arrested are Muslims and they are being interrogated.
On July 15, four people were arrested for attempting to perform religious rituals at Lulu Mall after prayers on July 12. Saroj Nath Yogi, Krishna Kumar Pathak, Gaurav Goswami and Arshad Ali were arrested. When Yogi, Pathak and Goswami tried to perform puja, Ali was trying to offer namaz in the premises of the mall. According to a press release issued by the Lucknow Commissioner on Tuesday, false news was being spread that they had performed Namaz on July 12.
Apart from these four, 18 people were booked on July 16 for disturbing the peace while trying to enter the shopping mall. On the same day, two others were taken into custody for trying to disrupt religious harmony over the Hanuman Chalisa.
Referring to the Lulu Mall controversy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that security lapses will not be tolerated and those who try to disrupt unity will be dealt with sternly.
“Some people make unnecessary statements and organize demonstrations to stop people visiting the mall. The Chief Minister said that no one will be allowed to disrupt traffic on the road by organizing prayers or other events.
The controversy was ignited when a video of people praying at Lulumal went viral on social media. There was also controversy when extremist Hindu organizations tried to recite Hanuman Chalisa in the mall after the namaz. The Hindu Mahasabha threatened to recite Sundara Kanda from the Ramayana if the prayer was allowed to continue. After this, the UP Police registered a case against the unknown persons who performed Namaz.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath opened the mall on July 11, which was built with an investment of two thousand crore rupees.
