Updated on: 21st September 2023 1:55 PM IST | Mumbai
S S Nadar | news@debotimes.in

The police also arrested the maulvi who allegedly prompted them to offer namaz at the temple in the Kesarpur village in Bareilly.

The police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district arrested a Muslim woman and her daughter for allegedly offering namaz (Islamic worship) at an old Shiva temple Saturday afternoon. They also arrested a maulvi (teacher of Islamic law) for allegedly prompting them to offer namaz at the temple in the Kesarpur village under the Bhuta police station jurisdiction.

The police said the accused, Sajina, 45, and her daughter Sabina, 19, recited verses of namaz on the temple premises after the maulvi Chaman Shah assured them of good fortune if they did so.

“All three have been arrested and sent to jail. They were booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). The village has a mixed population, and we have deployed police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel in strength to ensure that the incident does not spread communal hatred,” said Rajesh Kumar Mishra, in charge of the Bhuta police station in Bareilly.

The police said Sajina and Sabina reached the Shiva temple in the afternoon and suddenly started offering the namaz on the temple premises. Those present there objected, but the duo remained adamant and continued their religious prayers, the police said.

“We have made a video of the incident and sent it to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s office and also to the state police chief Vijay Kumar for immediate police intervention,” said Prem Singh, the pradhan (head) of the Kesarpur village, who lodged the FIR at the Bhuta police station.