In view of the prevailing health situation in the wake of COVID19 outbreak, district magistrate, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary on Tuesday issued an order prohibiting all sorts of religious congregations and public movement on the occasion of Shab-e-Baraat in the district.
The order issued under section 144 of CrPC states that thedecision to prohibit religious gatherings during the occasion has been takenbased on recommendations of authorities concerned and reports from the fieldbesides taking into account the current precarious health situation due toCOVID19 pandemic..
It states the restrictions will remain enforced through theintervening night of April 8 and 9, adding that violations will attract strictaction under section 188 of the IPC and section 51 of the Disaster ManagementAct.
The district magistrate said that prohibitions on religiousand other gatherings has become indispensable in view of the threat fromcoronavirus infection, adding these among other measures put in place in thedistrict were aimed at containing the spread.
Restrictions on gatherings and public movement were enforcedin the district on March 20, as part of the measures to contain spread ofCOVID19 after the first positive case was reported from the district.