Police have arrested a muezzin (man who proclaims azan) from a mosque in Najibabad town of Bijnor district for allegedly violating prescribed the noise limits while reciting the azan, officers aware of the matter said on Sunday.
They said Mohammad Faizan, 23, was arrested on Saturday after police allegedly found a loudspeaker operating at high volume at Najibuddoula Mosque near Government Inter College (GIC) in Najibabad.
Faizan was produced before a sub-divisional magistrate’s court, which remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody, the officers said, adding that noise from sound-amplification equipment should not go beyond the premises, if permission to use a loudspeaker has not been obtained.
“The mosque management had no permission to use a loudspeaker. In such a situation, the noise of sound-amplification equipment should not go out of the premises,” said additional superintendent of police (city) Krishna Gopal Singh.
He said the government and courts had issued directions from time to time on the use of loudspeakers and other sound-amplification equipment, and police were conducting drives to ensure compliance.
According to police, sub-inspector Saurabh Singh and constable Rohit were patrolling the area on Saturday. At around 12:45pm, they reached the area near GIC and allegedly heard a loudspeaker being operated at a high volume at the mosque. During an inspection, police found Faizan proclaiming the azan.
The volume allegedly exceeded prescribed limits, causing noise pollution and inconvenience to passers-by, police said.
Sub-inspector Saurabh Singh subsequently lodged a report at Najibabad police station. Police registered a case against Faizan, seized the loudspeaker, amplifier and microphone, and arrested him.