Police team attacked in Meerut, 4 arrested

Meerut, April 12 (IANS) Four persons, including the Imam of a mosque, have been arrested in Meerut for attacking a team of officials who had gone there to seal a mosque in Jali Kothi area, after Corona positive persons were found there.

Circle Officer Dinesh Shukla said the accused pelted stones at the team, injuring a police official and the city magistrate.

“On February 24, three people attended a programme of a local Jamaat and came from Maharashtra (Malegaon) to Meerut. They were staying at Dariwaali Masjid. On Friday, their samples tested positive for coronavirus,” the circle officer said.

On Saturday, the in-charge of Delhi Gate police station Ravindra Singh along with police force and City Magistrate Satyendra Kumar Singh went to seal a lane in the Jali Kothi area. Some people started resisting them, and raised slogans against the police. They also pelted stones at the police.

In the incident, city magistrate and police station in-charge sustained injuries, the circle officer said.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi said in Lucknow that the National Security Act (NSA) would be invoked against the arrested persons.

The NSA allows preventive detention up to 12 months without a charge if the authorities are satisfied that the person is a threat to the national security or law and order.

Meanwhile, additional police force from other police stations was rushed to the spot to maintain law and order.

Superintendent of Police (City) Akhilesh Narayan Singh said, “The area is being sealed. As of now, there is peace in the area.”

Meerut is one of the 15 districts in Uttar Pradesh that have been termed as corona hotspots and some areas have been sealed.

–IANS

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