Protests, slogan-shouting and incidents of stone-pelting over a suspended BJP spokesperson’s recent controversial remarks were reported from some Uttar Pradesh cities after Friday prayers with Prayagraj being the worst affected.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked for strict action against criminals, anti-social and mischievous elements in view of the violence at some places in Uttar Pradesh.
Director general of police (DGP) DS Chauhan said trouble was reported from four districts, including Prayagraj, Saharanpur, Moradabad and Firozabad.
DGP Chauhan said some injuries were reported, but there was no loss of life and the situation was now under control.
A total of 136 people were arrested from six districts across the state for creating law and order problems and disturbing communal harmony, additional director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar said.
He said 45 people were arrested from Saharanpur, 37 from Prayagraj, 20 from Hathras, 23 from Ambedkarnagar, seven from Moradabad and four from Firozabad.
Markets were reported closed in several districts across the state. But the Friday prayers were offered peacefully in Kanpur that had witnessed clashes on June 3.
{{/usCountry}}Markets were reported closed in several districts across the state. But the Friday prayers were offered peacefully in Kanpur that had witnessed clashes on June 3.
{{/usCountry}}In Prayagraj, violence erupted in Atala and its adjoining localities in the old city area when youths assembled in large numbers after Friday prayers to protest against the alleged insult to the Prophet.
The protestors shouted slogans and resorted to stone- pelting when the police tried to disperse them.
The situation worsened as protestors hurled stones and bricks from the narrow lanes on each side of Shaukat Ali Road in Atala locality. Over a dozen police personnel were injured in the incident, including inspector general of police (Prayagraj range) Rakesh Kumar Singh, who received injuries on his hands and back.
Two Rapid Action Force personnel, including inspector Manish Kumar, received serious injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment.
The protestors torched a PAC truck and set over half-a-dozen motorcycles and a rickshaw on fire as officials called for additional force to control the situation. The stone-pelting in the area continued for around three hours before the police restored order completely by the evening.
Prayagraj district magistrate Sanjay Khatri said, “The situation is now under control.”
After violence in Prayagraj, additional chief secretary (ACS), Home, Awanish Awasthi said police were doing continuous patrolling in the affected area and the situation was brought under control. Similarly, the situation was under control in Saharanpur after initial trouble at some places, he said.
Awasthi also said some people tried to disturb communal harmony and create a law and order problem. He said stern action will be taken against those involved in violence. He appealed to people to maintain peace and not come out on the roads.
ADG Prashant Kumar said 130 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed in different districts to maintain law and order and for peaceful conduct of the Friday prayers.
“The state police social media cell is doing round the clock monitoring of different social media platforms to contain content inciting communal sentiments and action is being taken against those involved in such things,” he said.
Presiding over a high-level meeting, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the administration should take strict action against all those who try to disturb the peace anywhere in the state.
He directed the additional chief secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi, DGP DS Chauhan and ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar to maintain vigil on the situation.
In Saharanpur, protestors marched towards Ghantaghar after offering namaz at Jama Masjid at around 1.30pm.
Protestors also came out on the roads in the Nawabganj area of Saharanpur and Deoband.
They demanded the arrest of the suspended BJP spokesperson and the death sentence for her.
The protestors resorted to stone-pelting and forcibly got the market around the mosque and Ghantaghar in Saharanpur closed.
The situation was contained when police resorted to a cane-charge.
“A group of protestors gathered and engaged in sloganeering who were disperse by using mild force,” said Saharanpur SSP Akash Tomar.
In Lucknow, the situation remained peaceful but the protestors shouted religious slogans after offering prayers at the Tile Wali Masjid.
A senior police official said major police deployment was done there and vigil was kept on the gathering to contain the situation.
Closure of markets was reported in Varanasi, Barabanki, Unnao, Pilibhit, Bijnor and Firozabad.
In Bijnor, the police arrested three people allegedly for inciting religious sentiments over social media.
Tight security arrangements were made in Kanpur with the deployment of over 12 companies of PAC, three additional IPS officers and two companies of the Rapid Action Force.
In Lakhimpur Kheri, a group of people staged a protest under the Bheera police station limits.
Special deployment was also done in other sensitive districts, including Firozabad, Shamli, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Agra, Ayodhya, Varanasi and Gorakhpur.