The Lucknow Police on Thursday filed a case against unknown persons who offered namaz at the city’s newly-opened Lulu Mall on July 12.
A complaint was filed at the Sushant Golf City police station by Sibtain Hussain, the public relations manager of the mall.
A video of Muslim men offering namaz at the mall was shared widely by Hindu militant groups on social media. The Hindu nationalist social media handles widely posted Islamophobic comments against the Muslims who offered Namaz and the mall run by MA Yusuf Ali, one of India’s richest Muslims.
The police lodged a first information report under Sections 153A(1) (promoting enmity between groups), 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
After the namaz video was shared on social media, members of Hindu militant outfit Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha held a protest outside the gate of the mall. Members of the outfit had sought permission from the authorities to chant the Hanuman Chalisa near the mall on Friday.
