Just 135 of 1k mosques in city used loudspeaker: Home dept

Mumbai/Nashik/Kolhapur/Aurangabad: Of the 1,141 mosques in Mumbai, azan was played on loudspeakers on Wednesday only by 135, said senior home department officials.

- V Narayan & Bhavika

Local police said they will find out whether these mosques violated the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in its 2005 order on the use of loudspeakers in public places. "If the SC guidelines were violated, action will be taken," said an official. According to guidelines, the use of loudspeakers is allowed between 6 am and 10 pm.

There was a heavy police presence around mosques after Raj Thackeray's protest against loudspeakers at mosques began on Wednesday.

A total of eight offences were registered and 56 people were arrested in the past 24 hours in the state for creating law and order issues. Some were externed from city limits.

Notices were served and several were detained under the CrPC Code in the past five days, including on Wednesday.

MNS workers played the Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker near a mosque in Charkop in the morning while authorities filed multiple FIRs in Nashik and Panvel against party workers for playing religious hymns during azan, and made arrests.