The Kanpur Police on Monday registered FIR against 15 social media accounts operated on platforms Facebook and Twitter in connection with the communal clashes that broke out in the city last Friday.
The case at Kanpur Kotwali police station by station house officer (SHO) Anil Tiwari has been registered under sections 505, 507 and 66 of the IT Act for allegedly fanning passions.
Kanpur police have registered FIRs against 15 accounts operated on Facebook and Twitter for fanning up passions. The FIR mentions different user IDs, including a Facebook account from Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh. The locations from where the other accounts were run are not mentioned.
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Communal clashes had erupted in Yateemkhana, Pared and Nai Sadak areas after some people called for closure of shops to protest over alleged objectionable remarks made against Prophet Mohammed and Islam by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The violence spread to other localities including Beconganj, Anwarganj and Moolgunj, with protesters pelting stones, firig shots and lobbing petrol bombs at police who in return used batons to disperse the mob.
At least 40 people including 20 police personnel were injured in the clashes. The BJP has suspended Sharma from primary membership.
The UP Police have arrested 36 people including four masterminds Hayat Jaffar Hashmi, Javed Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Rahil and Mohammad Suffian who have been sent to 14-day judicial custody. The cops are also probing the role of radical outfit the Popular Front of India and investigating whether the group is linked to the bandh calls in the city.