Noida police issues notice to imam for organizing Friday prayers in park

Noida: Police on Friday issued a notice to an imam--a Muslim priest who leads a prayer--for organising a Friday prayer in a park in Noida’s Phase 2

Noida: Police on Friday issued a notice to an imam--a Muslim priest who leads a prayer--for organising a Friday prayer in a park in Noida’s Phase 2. The move came after a person tweeted a photo of the gathering in the park and tagged Noida police.

Noida police issues notice to imam for organizing Friday prayers in park

Atul Pandey tweeted a photo on Friday afternoon with the caption, “Shall we take this as open entitlement to practice religion in public parks? This was at Block B in Hosiery Complex, Noida.”

Sujeet Upadhyaya, station house officer (SHO) of Phase 2 police station, said a police team soon reached the spot on getting information about the incident. “Primary investigation indicates that workers of a factory had gathered at a local mosque to offer Friday prayers. However, since the mosque was full, a group of men visited the park in the neighbourhood to offer prayers,” he said.

Upadhyaya said people have been advised not to offer prayers in the park from next week. “We have also served a notice to the Imam/maulvi Siraj Ahmad,” he said.

Talking to HT, Ahmad said he works at a factory in Phase 2. “The factory workers have been offering prayers in the park for five years but due to lockdown, this practice was discontinued two years ago. The workers again gathered on Friday to offer prayers. We were not aware that offering prayers at the park is banned. We will not organise such congregation in the park from next week,” he said.

In December 2018, Noida police had issued an order banning any religious activity in the parks in the city. The police had also asked the companies/factories to ensure their employees do not use a park for any religious activity, including offering namaz on Fridays.