Pune: Six Booked For Offering Prayers At Sarasbaug Garden
Pune: Six Booked For Offering Prayers At Sarasbaug Garden
On July 11, the Swargate police lodged a case against six unidentified persons for offering namaz at Sarasbaug in Pune. The incident occurred on May 5, 2022, at approximately 6:30 am on the lawns near the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) shed behind the Ganesh temple within the garden. The First Information Report (FIR) was filed by police constable Sandeep Godse. According to the FIR, five to six unidentified individuals offered namaz on the lawns, violating the guidelines set by the PMC garden superintendent and forming an unlawful assembly. The FIR further suggested that the prayers were intended to incite discord between communities.
The police have invoked sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) 295 A, 188, 143, Maharashtra Police Act 37 (1) (e), and section 135.
On July 5, the Swargate police booked Sangram (Akshay) Dhole Patil for organizing an arti in front of the Ganesh idol in Sarasbaug, which attracted a large crowd.
Following the case against Patil, BJP leader Sunil Deodhar expressed support on X (formerly Twitter), urging CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to quash the FIR against Patil. Deodhar’s statement emphasized stopping the alleged aggression of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis who purportedly violated the sanctity of the Sarasbaug Ganesh temple.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol also commented on X, highlighting the seriousness of the Sarasbaug issue and instructing Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar to take action. Mohol confirmed that a case had been registered against the individuals involved and assured that measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni criticized the case against Patil on X, asserting that he was falsely accused of increasing religious discord without valid reasons. The Swargate police continue to investigate the incident and aim to ensure that similar occurrences are prevented. The situation has sparked political responses, reflecting broader concerns about communal harmony and the enforcement of public order.
