Involvement of the Popular Front of India (PFI), an extremist Islamic organisation, in the protests that erupted in UP's Saharanpur after Friday prayers has not come to the fore yet, a senior police official said. The official, however, added that the involvement can not be ruled out.
Protests over a now-suspended BJP leader's remarks on Prophet Mohammad turned violent in the Saharanpur and Prayagraj districts of Uttar Pradesh. Some motorcycles and carts were set on fire in Prayagraj and an attempt was made to set ablaze a police vehicle. In Saharanpur, people holding placards raised slogans against Nupur Sharma and raised slogans demanding capital punishment for her.
Akash Tomar, senior superintendent of police, Saharanpur, said that 48 people have been arrested so far and stringent sections have been invoked against them for holding protests without permission and raising provocative slogans. More than 260 people behind the illegal protests have been identified through social media scrutiny and CCTV footage and will be arrested soon, he added.
Speaking to news agency ANI, the senior official stressed that the police were in constant touch with religious leaders and the public.
"But the manner in which crowd took to the streets after Friday namaz, it definitely seems that some people had planned, we have even identified some of them," Tomar said.
{{/usCountry}}"But the manner in which crowd took to the streets after Friday namaz, it definitely seems that some people had planned, we have even identified some of them," Tomar said.
{{/usCountry}}"PFI involvement hasn't come to the fore yet but it can't be ruled out. Checking possible involvement of all extremist organisations through surveillance and manual intelligence," he added.
The official assured strict action against those involved in the protests, “especially the front runners.”
"Police force was here yesterday, and we guided them in the presence of Police. After a while, we dispersed them from there. We have registered four FIRs. One FIR pertains to the raising of provocative slogans, remaining 3 relates to illegal protest march, he said.
(With ANI inputs)