LUCKNOW, March 18 -- In the wake of criminals using religious events to conceal their identity and evade arrest after committing crime, Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Prashant Kumar on Monday issued directives to all districts and police commissionerates to keep a watch on people attending such programmes.

The state police have come across several cases wherein criminals after committing crime attended religious events to take refuge and evade arrest. According to the state police headquarters, religious events are organised in districts across the state.

"These programmes are not only attended by locals but also by people from other districts and states. Recently, after the arrest of a criminal, it came to light that af...