Loudspeaker row: In Pune, some mosques go silent, others lower volume

A day after MNS chief Raj Thackeray urged people to play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers wherever they hear loudspeakers “blaring” azaan, the Pune city police were on high alert and had deployed police officials at several sensitive locations. Similar deployments were also made in Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune Rural jurisdictions.

“The situation is completely peaceful in Pune. We have put in place significant strength deployment across the city with ACPs, DCPs and senior inspectors monitoring the situation,” Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta said.

On Tuesday, the police in Pune City, Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune Rural jurisdictions had issued notices to many people, mostly MNS workers, asking them to refrain from conducting or participating in any activity that would cause a law and order situation and warning of legal action if directions were not adhered to. These notices were issued under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which empowers police to take various measures to prevent any cognizable offence.

In his rally held at Aurangabad on Sunday, Thackeray had said that he was firm on his May 3 ‘deadline’ for removing loudspeakers from mosques across the state. He had also asked Hindus to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if the loudspeakers were not removed.