Ramzan begins in Mumbai

Haidar Azam, of Azam Foundation, is seen preparing Iftar packets which will be distributed for free among 3,000 families in Malwani

The holy month of Ramzan began on Saturday. Areas such as Mohammed Ali Road, Minara Mosque and Pydhonie were deserted, an unusual feat as these areas are generally thronged by believers during Ramzan. The police have appealed to the people to pray at home and have deployed personnel at Mohammad Ali Road, JJ junction and Pydhonie, to restrict gatherings.

People did step out of their houses in areas like Bhendi Bazaar and Dongri in the evening. T"hey were seen buying food and fruits for iftar. Social distancing rules were neglected and when the police received information about the same, they sent teams to these areas to disperse the crowd. Responding to this, Mohammed Saeed Noori, general secretary of Raza Academy, told mid-day, "I appeal to the government to let the shops stay open for sometime during Iftar. I would also like to appeal to my fellow Muslims to follow social distancing norms when they are purchasing food."

Antop Hill saw some open shops with police arrangements in place. Salam Qazi, a resident of Antop Hill, told Mid-day, "I have bought all the necessary items and won't step out for the next one week."

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