Nearly 150 Take Part In Gujarat Religious Procession; Case Against 3: Cops

The procession was taken out in Patdi town of Gujarat on Friday afternoon, a police officer said.

Around 150 people participated in a religious procession in Surendranagar district of Gujarat in violation of the coronavirus norms, following which police have registered an offence against two organisers of the event and a disc jockey (DJ) operator, an official said on Saturday. The procession was taken out in Patdi town of the district on Friday afternoon, he said. "A religious programme was organised in the town, where around 150 devotees gathered. Later, they also took part in a procession, during which they danced to the music being played by the DJ. The participants flouted social distancing norms and only a few persons were seen wearing face-masks as required under the government's COVID-19 guidelines," the Patdi police station official said. Surendranagar district magistrate has already issued a notification under section 144 of the CrPC as well as the provisions of the National Disaster Management Act and Gujarat Police Act, prohibiting assembly of more than four persons at one place. But these persons flouted it by organising such a large religious event, he said.