New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested four accused on Tuesday morning for allegedly offering prayers at Lucknow's Lulu Mall in an "unauthorised" manner, while a search is on for four others, said UP Police as reported by news agency PTI. Police said none of the accused is an employee of Lulu Mall. "Four people were arrested on Tuesday for unauthorisedly offering namaz in a mall. The accused have been identified as Mohammad Rehan, Atif Khan, Mohammad Lokman and Mohammad Noman. All of them are residents of Lucknow," Police Commissioner D K Thakur told PTI.
The arrested accused are residents of Lakhimpur, Sitapur and Lucknow. Soon after the arrest of the four accused, the police also detained an Ayodhya-based seer Mahant Paramhans after he tried to enter Lulu mall, said Thakur.
In a video that surfaced on social media, Paramhans is heard saying, "I was going alone to the mall in a peaceful manner but I was not allowed to go. If this is the centre of jihad or of terrorism, then do not allow anyone to go (there). I was stopped because I am wearing saffron clothes. This is an insult to saffron while staying in India." The arrest in the namaz incident came after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had on Monday directed the administration to act tough against such elements hell-bent on vitiating the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe and shared the video of the seer on his official Twitter handle.
Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Monday hauled up the district and police administration over the protests organised by a Hindu outfit outside the newly opened Lulu mall in the capital Lucknow on Sunday. During the video conferencing, the Chief Minister directed the police to check anti-social elements from disturbing communal harmony and lawlessness, reported news agency IANS.
Also Read: Lulu Mall Row: CM Adityanath Pulls Up Police, Lucknow Administration Over Protests Outside Mall
"It should take the matter seriously and such lapses will not be tolerated. Miscreants trying to create disturbance in the mall should be dealt with strictly," the CM said as reported by IANS.
Ha also said that the issue has been raked up by political parties for their own benefit.
"Unnecessary statements were being made by certain people and demonstrations being organised to obstruct the movement of people visiting the mall. No one should be permitted to obstruct traffic on the road by organising prayers or other events," he directed.
Meanwhile, the alleged video of four persons being portrayed as those who offered namaz in Lulu mall on July 12 was fake, according to the Lucknow Police Commissionerate, reported IANS.
The Chief Minister further asked police officers to review the situation in their respective districts and keep an eye on anti-social elements.
On Friday last week, the mall authorities lodged a complaint with the local police station in Lucknow and put up notices across the property declaring, "No religious prayers will be permitted in the mall," after the alleged incident was reported.