Six booked for offering prayers at Sarasbaug
Swargate police have lodged a case against six unidentified persons for offering prayers at Sarasbaug
PUNE The Swargate police have lodged a case against six unidentified persons for offering namaz at Sarasbaug. The incident took place on May 5, 2022, at around 6.30 am on the lawns near Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) shed behind Ganesh temple inside the garden.
The FIR was lodged by police constable Sandeep Godse on July 11. It states that five to six unidentified persons offered namaz at the lawns in violation of the guidelines of PMC garden superintendent by resorting to unlawful assembly.
It seems the prayers were offered to drive a wedge between two communities, the FIR added.
The police have invoked Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) 295 A, 188, 143, Maharashtra Police Act 37 (1) (e) and section 135.
The Swargate police had on July 5 booked Sangram (Akshay ) Dhole Patil for organising an arti in front of Ganesh idol in Sarasbaug which drew a crowd for the gathering.
Following the case against Patil, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Deodhar on X said, “Stand with Sangram Dhole Patil. I urge CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to quash the FIR against him for raising voice of Hindus and stop aggression of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis who have violated the sanctity of Sarasbaug Ganesh temple.”
Union minister of state for civil aviation Muralidhar Mohol on X said, “Considering the seriousness of the Sarasbaug issue, I have instructed Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar to take action on July 6. After verifying the facts, action has been taken by Pune Police in this regard and a case has been registered against 5 to 6 persons at Swargate police station. Police will take care to prevent such incidents from happening again.”
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni on x said, that a case has been registered against Patil by falsely accusing him of increasing ‘religious discord’ without any reasons.
