49 arrested to aid probe into video of Eid prayers in Juru

The police have arrested 49 men to facilitate investigations into a viral video showing hundreds of individuals believed to be foreigners violating the SOPs by holding Aidiladha prayers in an open area and at the roadside of Surau Taman Pelangi, Juru, yesterday.

Penang police chief Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the 48 Bangladeshis and one local man were arrested separately around Juru.

“They have been arrested to aid ongoing investigations for violating the SOPs,” he said in a statement, adding that investigations would be conducted under Sections 269 and 270 of the Penal Code.

The investigation was sparked by a video showing over 200 individuals, mostly foreigners living in Taman Pelangi, conducting Aidiladha prayers in the parking lot and by the roadside of a surau in Taman Pelangi between 8.30am and 9am yesterday.

They were praying in the area as the surau management had not allowed them inside since the surau had reached its maximum capacity of 100 people.

Shuhaily said the report regarding the incident has been handed over to the Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani for him to brief Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin.

The home ministry had asked the Penang police chief to provide a detailed report and explanation of the personnel assigned to monitor SOP compliance during the Aidiladha celebrations.