‘President Kovind, PM Modi, UP CM are here, yet…’: RLD condemns Kanpur violence

Violence broke out in Becongunj area of Kanpur as members of the minority community clashed with the police, injuring six people. According to reports, violence had erupted after police had baton-charged some locals, resulting in hundreds of people taking to streets.

The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) condemned the violence which broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur on Friday and urged people to maintain peace.

Kanpur violence: A total of 16 people have been taken into custody while the injured were rushed to the hospital. (Screengrab)

“The President, the prime minister and the chief minister are in Kanpur. Yet, the outbreak of violence in the city is shameful for Uttar Pradesh's law and order," the RLD tweeted.

Violence broke out in Becongunj area of Kanpur as members of the minority community clashed with the police, injuring six people. According to reports, violence had erupted after police had baton-charged some locals, resulting in hundreds of people taking to streets. A total of 16 people have been taken into custody while the injured were rushed to the hospital.

Some locals, including shopkeepers, reportedly observed a shutdown and even took out a procession after Friday namaz over an allegedly insulting remark about Prophet Mohammad made by a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader on national television.

Joint Commissioner of Police Anand Prakash Tiwari said an investigation will be done. “The situation is under control and people have been sent back home. There was stone pelting before. Our efforts are to normalise things in the next half to one hour,” he added.

Kanpur's district magistrate Neha Sharma said that there was an issue of law and order. “The situation is under control. It is important to nab the miscreants involved and to launch an inquiry against them,” Sharma added.