New Delhi: After a video showing thousands of people celebrating the annual festival of Brahmalingeshwara deity at Karjagi village in Haveri taluk went viral on Friday, the Karnataka police registered a case against 69 participants for violating the orders prohibiting congregations, aimed to contain the spread of COVID-19.Times of India has reported that cases have also been slapped against the committee members of Brahmalingeshwar Temple for organizing the Kara Hunnime celebration on Thursday, despite the district administration’s order imposing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.The event saw participation of thousands of devotees along with a bullock cart procession.#WATCH Karnataka: Social distancing norms flouted as people in huge numbers yesterday participated in ‘Kara Hunnime’ fair at Karjagi village in Haveri, amid #COVID19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/u7UPKRCCR4— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2020The administration said that the villagers had approached to seek permission for the celebrations a week ago and were vehemently denied.“Villagers of Karjagi had visited the office seeking permission for historic Kara Hunnime celebrations in last week. But, I had denied them permission as the prohibitory orders were in place,” said Deputy Commissioner Krishna Bajpai.Also read: Karnataka: Chariot Pulling Ritual Held in Violation of Lockdown, Police Register Case“Haveri assistant commissioner and tEhsildar have conducted a series of meetings with villagers and asked them not to conduct celebrations. Despite this, they went ahead and strict action will be taken against all those who are responsible for this,” he added.While places of religious worship have reopened in Karanataka, there are still restrictions on congregations.Additional Superintendent of Police, Mallikarjun Baladandi said that the accused had been booked under the Disaster Management Act 2005 and Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 by Haveri rural police.Earlier in April, even when spike in COVID-19 cases was highest in Karnataka, thousands participated in a religious chariot-pulling procession in Kalaburagi district. Later, a case was registered against them.Earlier, members of the Muslim community were singled out for blame for the spread of the pandemic for having attended a Tablighi Jamaat congregation in New Delhi and were boycotted, subjected to violent attacks and labelled carriers of the coronavirus in the country.