‘Godwoman’ with sword dares cops after defying COVID-19 lockdown in UP

A self-styled godwoman in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district was arrested after a showdown with the police for defying the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in view of the fast spreading disease, the woman “Maa Aadi Shakti (Mother of divine power)” held a religious gathering comprising around 100 devotees mostly from neighbouring Bihar.

When two truckloads of cops arrived to remove the gathering, the woman, draped in red silk sari, dared the policemen to try and remove her, according to news portal NDTV. She drew out a sword and threatened them.

A group of police personnel managed to pin her down and dragged her away in a van.

A perspective on how tough it is for @Uppolice to enforce #21daylockdown. in Deoria , this self styled god woman ‘Maa Aadi Shakti’ refused to call off a religious gathering , pointed sword at cops etc . Finally , it took a ‘mild’ lathicharge to disperse everyone . Crazy stuff ! pic.twitter.com/MPe4F9imkB

— Alok Pandey (@alok_pandey) March 25, 2020

Police resorted to a mild lathi-charge to remove the “devotees”, who were scampering after the fall of their leader.

The showdown was caught on mobile phone camera, and went viral on social media.

The area is quiet now and the lockdown has been restored, the police said.

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Coronavirus or COVID-19 has infected over 560 people and claimed the lives of at least 10 individuals in India. Globally, it has killed 13,000 people and infected 4 lakh, primarily in China, Italy, Spain and Iran.

Worldwide, many countries have imposed lockdowns and advocated social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.