Mob targets police station in Azamgarh over objectionable Facebook comment; accused arrested

A mob, enraged over an objectionable comment on Facebook, vandalised a police station in Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, demanding action against the arrested youth under the National Security Act (NSA).

The incident happened in Sarai Mir police station on Saturday after the youth posted the comment against a religion on the social networking platform a day earlier.

Enraged locals barged into the police station and indulged in heavy stone pelting, damaging a police vehicle on Saturday noon, police said.

Nizamabad sub-divisional magistrate, Vagish Kumar Shukla sustained injury in his leg during the incident.

Nizamabad circle officer, Ravi Shankar Singh said the situation had been brought under control. A heavy police force was deployed in the town to avoid any untoward incident.

The police had arrested the youth on Friday itself.

However, locals in large numbers reached Sarai Mir police station at around 10am on Saturday and started shouting slogans demanding action against the youth under the NSA.

Police officers at police station tried to pacify the crowd, saying that the youth had been arrested.

More locals joined the crowd. Then cops informed senior authorities about it. Subsequently, circle officer Ravi Shankar Prasad and SDM Vagish Kumar Shukla along with a heavy police force reached the police station.

Not paying any heed to the request made by the cops, the angry mob barged into the police station and created ruckus there. The police used tear gas shells and mild force to disperse the crowd.

First Published: Apr 28, 2018 22:21 IST