The protesters, mostly members of Hinduist outfits, raised slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ amid heavy police presence. At the same time, people of the Muslim community kept coming to that place to offer Namaz.
The protesters held placards and raised slogans against the administration for allowing open prayers at designated places in the city.
However, despite the tense atmosphere there remained calm. About 30 protesters have been detained as a precautionary measure, the police official said.
Talking to reporters, Ankita Chaudhary, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Gurugram said, “People are offering Namaz at this place for the last two years. There are some people in the other group who are trying to stop them. That’s why we asked them not to create an atmosphere of panic and law and order problem. When they did not agree, the administration and police took them into custody to maintain law and order.
Choudhary said that people have been taken into preventive custody only. When asked who were the detained people, he said that investigation is going on in this regard.
Earlier, police force was deployed on the spot due to threats from Hinduist organizations threatening to disrupt Namaz in the open.
The district administration had identified 37 places in the city where Muslims were allowed to offer Friday prayers following protests by Hinduist outfits three years ago.
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