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Kanpur violence: 24 arrested so far; PFI role under investigation, says police
A total of 24 people including the conspirators have been arrested. Zafar Hayat Hashmi, the mastermind, has been arrested. He along with Javed Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Rahil and Mohammad Sufiyan are the four conspirators, the Kanpur top cop said.
The Kanpur Police on Saturday said it was investigating radical outfit Popular Front of India's connections to the communal clashes that broke out in Becongunj area of the city on Friday.
“The PFI had given a call for bandh in three states. Looking into whether the Kanpur call was linked,” Kanpur Polcie commissioner Vijay Singh Meena said in a briefing, adding that the violence was planned.
A total of 24 people including the conspirators have been arrested. “Zafar Hayat Hashmi, the mastermind, has been arrested. He along with Javed Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Rahil and Mohammad Sufiyan are the four conspirators”, the Kanpur top cop said.
One of the conspirators named Javed Khan runs a YouTube channel from Lucknow's Hazratgunj. All the four conspirators were arrested from the channel's office by the Crime Branch. They will be produced in the court and the police will seek a 14-day custody.
The Kanpur top cop said six mobile phones and documents have been recovered from the arrested accused, adding that they will be booked under National Security Act and their properties will be seized.
The violence had erupted after members of a minority community observed a shutdown and took out a procession after Friday prayers to protest a BJP spokesperson's remark about Prophet Mohammad.
