Self-styled UP godwoman brandishes sword at cops stalling gathering, dragged into custody

A self-styled godwoman, who calls herself ‘Maa Aadi Shakti’, was arrested on Wednesday for hosting a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria amid the nationwide lockdown over COVID-19.

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A video of the incident is going viral on social media. The woman, dressed in a red saree, is seen brandishing a sword at the police force and speaking to them aggresively. The gathering was held to mark the Navratri festival that began on Wednesday.

The police can be heard announcing, ”Whoever has gathered, from Bihar or anywhere else, and wishes to leave, please leave because we have surrounded the area from all sides.”

Later, as the woman and the others resented and refused to budge, the police were forced to display force and dragged her on the ground, before taking her to custody. The UP Police also performed a lathi-charge on the accused.

READ: Self-styled Godman Booked For Raping Two Minors In Haryana

Here’s  the video

As per reports, the woman and 12 others were arrested. Deoria Superintendent of Police Sripat Mishra was quoted as saying that they had received information about the gathering and of ‘faith-healing’ being conducted.

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The officer shared that they informed them of Section 144 of the CrPC, that disallows the gathering of more than three persons, but the woman got violent at the cops. FIRs have been registered under the relevant sections of the IPC and that the arrested will be put behind bars, police said.

Before this, a video of two men in Telangana’s Rangareddy district attacking a home guard had also surfaced. The duo were also arrested and booked for their offence after their entry to Hyderabad was blocked by the home guard amid the nationwide lockdown.

READ: Amid Lockdown, Telangana Men Thrash Home Guard For Blocking Hyderabad Entry; Booked

India will be under complete lockdown, as instructed by the Prime Minister, for 21 days, till April 14. The PM has urged the citizens to stay at home, as far as possible, while operations of even trains and flights have been suspended. The cases of COVID-19 continue to be on the rise in India, and is closing in on 600-mark.