Malegaon in Maharashtra saw a heated controversy on Wednesday after seven individuals were booked for offering namaz inside the Electricity Department office of the Malegaon Municipal Corporation. The incident took place on Monday when a group of residents visited the office to address power supply issues in their area.
A municipal corporation employee, Mahendra Raghunath Sawant, filed a first information report (FIR) alleging that the group had created chaos inside the office. A video showing nine or ten residents performing prayers inside the office went viral on Wednesday, drawing sharp criticism from several senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who demanded strict action against those involved.
Residents Explain Their Side
A representative of the residents told reporters that their visit was prompted by a power outage in the area. They arrived at the Electricity Department office to meet officials, but the officer in charge was not present. Since it coincided with the Asr prayer time, the residents said they performed their prayers inside the office to ensure the electricity issue was addressed, fearing that leaving could result in the meeting being cancelled.
“The officer was not present in his cabin, and it was time for Asr prayers, so we offered prayers inside the office,” the representative said. “If we had gone out, we would not have met the officer, and the electricity would not have been restored.”
FIR and Legal Action
According to the FIR, shared by former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya on X, the individuals were booked under sections 132 (criminal force against public servant), 292 (public nuisance), 189 (unlawful assembly of more than five persons), and 190 (joint liability of unlawful assembly) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR also referenced provisions under the Maharashtra Police Act.
Sawant, in his complaint, alleged that two of the individuals, Salim and Lukman, arrived with associates and demanded details about streetlight installations. “Lukman said to me, ‘Where has your officer gone? You are the godown keeper, right? Give us the account of the streetlights and show your registers,’” he said. Sawant explained that the Malegaon Electrical Inspector was responsible for the streetlight details.
He further alleged that the group returned around 5 pm and insisted on offering namaz inside the office before leaving. “Now it is time for namaz; today we will all offer namaz inside the Electricity Department office itself and will only leave after taking the streetlights,” Sawant quoted Lukman as saying in the FIR.
Official Response and Political Reactions
Malegaon civic chief Ravindra Jadhav confirmed the incident, stating that residents created a disturbance in his cabin while he was away. He added that police action was taken after a complaint was filed.
State minister Nitesh Rane announced that action would be taken against the individuals involved. Meanwhile, the incident sparked political outrage on social media, with Somaiya calling it an illegal act committed in “Hindu Rashtra.”
The residents reiterated that they were summoned by the department at 3 pm and had to wait for hours, leaving them with no option but to perform their prayers inside the office.
