No Religious Prayers Allowed on Its Property, Says Lulu Mallu
Lucknow:
Two people were arrested after they entered Lulu Mall and recited Hanuman Chalisa on Saturday, police said.
At least 15 others were detained for creating a ruckus when they tried to enter the shopping mall.
Confirming the development, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Gopal Krishna Choudhary said, “Two men entered the mall, sat on the floor and started offering religious prayers. They were arrested after they were handed over to the police by the security staff of the mall. Gone.” Soon after the two were caught, members of a right-wing group tried to break into the mall. He too was detained by the police and released with a warning not to create a ruckus.
Police recently booked sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against a group of unidentified people for allegedly offering prayers at the mall. This case has been registered after registering an FIR under ,
A controversy erupted on social media after a video purportedly showing a group of people offering prayers at a mall surfaced.
A right-wing organization had objected to people offering prayers inside the mall and sought permission from the authorities concerned to read Hanuman Chalisa there, which was denied.
The case was registered on a complaint from representatives of the mall, who claimed that the people seen in the video were not their staff members.
Mall authorities on Friday put up notices across the property, stating that “no religious prayers will be allowed in the mall”.
The mall was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 10 July. It has been opened by Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group, led by Indian-origin billionaire Yusuf Ali M.A.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)