The festival of Eid ul Azha is being celebrated with religious enthusiasm across Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

Since morning, thousands of people of Muslim community in all the districts of the state, including Lucknow, offered Namaz together and prayed for peace in the country.

At the same time, strict security arrangements have been made across the state and police forces are deployed at every nook and corner. People of Sunni community were the first to offer namaz at the Tile wale Mosque in Lucknow.

After offering Eid namaz, people hugged each other and congratulated each other on Eid.

UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati and other political leaders have greeted people on the occasion of Eid ul Azha.

Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, Chairman of Islamic Center of India and Imam of Eidgah, issued an advisory in connection with Eid Ul Azha and asked Muslims to sacrifice only those animals on which there is no legal restriction. Maulana also appealed not to upload photos and videos of the time of sacrifice on social media.

Maulana Khalid Rashid said that sacrifice is not a ritual but a favorite worship of God. He said that Eid-ul-Azha prayers should be offered inside Eidgahs and mosques only and should not be offered on the roads. Maulana advised people not to perform sacrifice in open spaces or on roadsides, streets and public places. He also advised to throw animal waste in Municipal Corporation dustbins only, not to pour the blood of sacrificial animals into the drains, and to donate animal skins in charity in the name of God. Distribute one-third of the meat among the poor, the maulana added.

Meanwhile, UP Director General of Police Prashant Kumar has given instructions to maintain complete peace and order for the successful completion of Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) festival. He has asked the police officers to exercise special vigilance to stop the slaughter of cows.

DGP Kumar said that such incidents should not happen under any circumstances and strict action should be taken against those who do so. In the instructions sent to all zone, range and district police officers, the DGP has asked to keep the local intelligence system active and continuously monitor the mischievous elements. If anyone tries to create a threat to peace and order, strict action would be taken against him, he stressed.