Bahraich, July 25: Sixty-seven people were booked for taking part in congregational prayers at a mosque here on Friday, police said. Amid rising cases of COVID-19, large gatherings are not allowed in the state, they said.

People gathered in large numbers at a mosque in Jatara village under Jarwal Road police station area and offered prayers on Friday, Station House Officer (SHO) Harshvardhan Singh said. In view of the coronavirus pandemic, any such gathering is not allowed, he said on Saturday. Muslim Personal Law Board Urges Devotees to Offer Friday Prayers at Home in Wake of COVID-19.

Appeals have also been issued by religious leaders in this regard. Despite this, Friday prayers were offered collectively at the mosque, he added. An FIR has been registered against 67 people, of which 20 are unidentified, under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease), among others, of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the police said.

Uttar Pradesh recorded its biggest single-day jump of 2,667 COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the state's tally to 60,771, according to official data.