Eid al-Adha celebrated in Delhi amid COVID-19 outbreak

Eid al-Adha was celebrated in Delhi on Saturday as people offered namaz in mosques and performed ritual of animal sacrifice by strictly adhering to precautions amid coronavirus pandemic. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia greeted Delhiites on festival.

"Hearty congratulations to you all on Eid al-Adha," Kejriwal tweeted. Amid pandemic outbreak, faithful maintained social distancing and wore face covers as y visited mosques in city to offer prayers. y also avoided hugging and shaking hands with each or after prayers to prevent spread of infection.

Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid in Old Delhi attracted sizeable number of people for early morning namaz.

Shahi Imam Mufti Mukarram of Fatehpuri Masjid said, "People observed social distancing and wore masks in mosque during namaz. mosque was full, but number was less than previous years, as people were t allowed to offer namaz on streets.

"Eid al-Adha means Eid of sacrifices. We prayed for relief from virus, peace and growth of country and thanked authorities to allow namaz in mosques with precautions against COVID-19," he said.

festival, popularly kwn as Bakr Eid, marks festivities and sacrifice of animals, like goats and sheep, by people to express ir devotion to God.