Uttar Pradesh Funeral: Thousands of people took part in a funeral procession of district Qazi in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun on Sunday violating COVID-19 norms and restrictions in place. A video of the funeral procession has gone viral on the social media site. Kaji Abdul Hamid Mohammad Salimul Kadri had died on Sunday and thousands of people had gathered to take part in his funeral.

An FIR has been lodged against unidentified people for violating COVID protocols during the funeral procession, police said yesterday.

A video of the procession, which has gone viral on social media, showed several people without face masks and flouting social distancing norms.

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“An FIR has been registered against unidentified people for breaking COVID protocol and gathering in large numbers in the procession. FIR was lodged under IPC 188 (violating prohibitory orders), Epidemic act and relevant sections of IPC,” Superintendent of Police, Sankalp Sharma told PTI.

He said strict action will be taken against the guilty and the offenders are being identified with the help of video footage of the procession.

Uttar Pradesh has put a cap on the number of people attending funerals at 20. Despite the guidelines, people thronged to mourn the demise of their religious leader.