Lulu Mall Row: Two people recite 'Hanuman Chalisa' to counter 'Namaz', arrested

New Delhi: A day after the LuLu Mall in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow put up a notice stating that religious prayers will not be permitted in the mall, two people were arrested on Saturday (July 16, 2022) for reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. Shortly after the duo was held, as many as 15 members of a right-wing group tried to enter the mall and were also detained by police and released with a warning not to create a ruckus.

"Two people entered the mall, sat on the floor and started saying religious prayers. They were arrested after being handed over to the police by the mall's security staff," news agency PTI quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) as saying.

The development came after police lodged an FIR under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295A (deliberate act intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against a group of unidentified people who allegedly offered namaz at the mall recently.

A controversy broke out after a video purportedly showing a group of people offering namaz at the mall surfaced on social media.

A right-wing outfit had objected to people offering namaz inside the mall and sought permission from the authorities concerned to recite the Hanuman Chalisa there, which was declined.

LuLu Mall was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on July 10 

The LuLu Mall was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on July 10, 2022, in the state capital Lucknow. UAE-based billionaire Yussufali MA's LuLu Group's mall is said to be the largest mall in northern India. 

लखनऊ में LULU मॉल का शुभारंभ करते #UPCM @myogiadityanath https://t.co/iuG3C88nYR — CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) July 10, 2022

Lucknow's LuLu Mall houses 15 fine dining restaurants, cafes

Located on the Amar Shaheed Path, Golf City, LuLu Mall will be home to some of the biggest brands in India. Catering to the diverse taste of every visitor, the mall houses 15 fine dining restaurants and cafes, and a massive food court with 25 brand outlets that have a capacity of seating 1600 patrons.

Spread over 2.2 million square feet, the LuLu Mall will also have a dedicated wedding shopping arena with the choicest jewelry, fashion, and premium watch brands.

An 11-screen PVR superplex will be launched later this year. The mall will be equipped with a dedicated multi-level parking facility for over 3,000 vehicles.

With the launch, LuLu Group International now has five malls in India, the others being in Kochi, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Thrissur.

Abu Dhabi-based LuLu Group is known for its sprawling supermarkets

From supermarkets to food processing to realty to financial services, the Abu Dhabi-based LuLu group runs its popular supermarkets in the cities of Kochi, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram. And from Monday, its expansive supermarket in Lucknow will be open to the public.

Absolute honor to receive Shri. @narendramodi ji along with @myogiadityanath ji @rajnathsingh ji to Lulu pavilion & explain our various upcoming projects in #UttarPradesh during the #GroundBreakingCeremony3 in Lucknow @CMOfficeUP @InvestInUp @PMOIndia @UPGovt @navneetsehgal3 pic.twitter.com/UiYSCVC6Eu — Yusuffali M. A. (@Yusuffali_MA) June 4, 2022

The 66-year-old Yussufali MA, the driving force behind the group and an affable and well-connected businessman, has been expanding his business activities over the years and the latest supermarket in Lucknow would also be one of the biggest investments to come into the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the largest state of the country by population.

A prominent name in South India, especially in Kerala, the native place of Ali, LuLu Group is mainly known for its sprawling supermarkets. The group, with interests in multiple business areas, including real estate, has a significant presence in many Gulf nations as well as the US, the UK, Italy and China, among other countries.

Who is UAE-based billionaire Yussufali?

Born in the Thrissur district of Kerala, Yussufali did his schooling before moving to Gujarat to pursue business management. He left the country in 1973 for Abu Dhabi to join the EMKE Group of companies and founded LuLu Hypermarket in 2000, which now has operations in 22 countries across the Middle East, Asia, the US, and Europe. It has 235 retail stores in total.

According to reports, the LuLu group has 18 hypermarkets and 7 shopping malls in the pipeline.

(With agency inputs)