23 arrested for organising Friday prayers in Kerala

Kochi/Kottayam (Kerala) [India], April 3 : Police have arrested 23 persons, including a school manager at Erattupetta in Kottayam district, who orgsed Friday prayers.

They were arrested from Thanmaya school, said Erattupetta police.

In another incident, five persons, including a priest, were arrested for conducting a mass prayer in a Church at Kochi. Later they were released on bail.

The mass was conducted in St. Mary's church at Kakkattupara. Fr. T Varghese, who is the priest was arrested and later released, said Puthencruz police.

This comes at a time when the country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.

( With inputs from ANI )