Thousands of supporters of Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Rathod, whose name is being linked by the opposition in the suicide case of a 23-year-old Pune woman named Pooja Chavan, gathered near the temple as he emerged in public after several days and visited the shrine on Tuesday, February 23.
Taking a serious note of reports of a large gathering near the Pohradevi Temple in Washim district, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered immediate action against those who flouted rules during the prevailing COVID-19 crisis.
An official statement released said, Thackeray has sought a report from the Washim district collector and the superintendent of police (SP).
Thackeray, also the Shiv Sena president, stressed that COVID-19-related rules are the same for all and asked the Washim district collector and the SP to submit a report regarding the convergence of people near the temple, the statement noted.
He asked the district authorities to take prompt action against those who flouted norms related to COVID-19 prevention and mitigation, it said.
On Sunday, Thackeray had said in view of the rising COVID-19 cases, religious, social and political gatherings will be prohibited in the state.
Asking people to follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour and safety norms, the CM had said he would observe the situation for a week to 15 days and then decide whether to impose another lockdown.
Moreover, the Chief Minister held a meeting at his official residence Varsha here on Tuesday to review the COVID-19 situation in the state. He also discussed with civic chiefs of municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) ways to contain the spread of the disease.