People coming out of a mosque after local authorities objected to them congregating at a mosque for Friday prayers in West Bengal's Murshidabad district (screenshot)
Scores of people on Friday attended the prayers at a mosque in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, in violation of the 21-day lockdown and social distancing rules in place across the country to check the spread of coronavirus. After the district authorities were apprised of people congregating at a mosque, the police were sent to the place of worship to warn them.
Visuals emerging from the West Bengal town show people emerging from the mosque, with several cops at the doorstep, asking them to return to their homes, in deference to the ongoing nationwide lockdown order.
The congregation comes despite appeals by religious community leaders advising the believers against carrying out any such action, which could endanger the lives of others as the country battles the further spread of coronavirus infections.
The congregation was reported just a day after the state's chief minister Mamata Banerjee cautioned the public that breaking the lockdown was next to impossible. Banerjee, however, said that she would take a final decision on lifting the lockdown after her meeting with the Prime Minister, scheduled to be held through video conferencing on April 11. Banerjee though also announced the relaxation of curbs in several sectors, including the tea sector.
The CM allowed the tea-plucking to resume, albeit with only 15 per cent of the total workforce operating at any single time. She also allowed taxi services to resume in Kolkata, though saying that cabs would be available on call.
The state authorities had already lifted the restrictions on operations of flower markets and bidi factories.
West Bengal has recorded 116 coronavirus infections till date, including five deaths.
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