50 Arrested after Barging into Karnataka Temple and Holding Annual Ritual in Violation of Covid Norms
News 18Fifty people in a Karnataka village have been arrested on charges, including rioting, after a large crowd barged into a temple and attempted to take out a procession in violation of restrictions on the annual ritual due to the cornavirus. The police said that every year on the eve of Gauri Pooja, the idol of sage Shukamuni is carried in a palanquin and taken around the village in a procession. The police said that hundreds of people gathered outside the temple premises on Thursday night -- those inside pushed the door open with the palanquin while devotees outside also forced the gate open, all this in the presence of police on the spot. The police said they had locked the place with the palanquin and had given permission for around 50 people to enter for the pooja, who then went ahead and took the palanquin out. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there was permission only for pooja inside the temple but after the pooja, they stepped out to take out a procession and those who were out to witness the offerings inside too joined," said Koppal Superintendent of Police G Sangeetha.