On Friday, violence erupted in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after a group attempted to force shop owners to close their doors at a popular market in the city because of alleged derogatory comments about the Prophet Muhammed made on a TV show.
When one group objected to the other’s shutdown orders, a fight erupted. To disperse the enraged crowd which was throwing rocks and crude bombs, police used artillery fire and tear gas. According to the police, 18 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident. Three FIRs have been filed, with 40 people facing charges and another 1,000 people yet to be identified.
To protest BJP spokesman Nupur Sharma’s controversial statements against the Prophet Mohammed during a recent news debate, some Muslim leaders in Kanpur have called for stores to close on Friday. After Friday prayers, a group of people shut down shops in the Parade Market, one of the city’s largest wholesale markets.
“All of a sudden, about 50-100 people appeared and began holding banners, to which the opposing side objected. Then a stone was thrown,” Kanpur police commissioner Vijay Singh Meena explained.
Two groups have gathered in the city’s Parade Chowk area for the spanking. People were seen throwing stones and attacking each other in videos shot during the rioting. Bombs were dropped and shots were fired, according to reports.
According to Commissioner, 12 companies of the Provincial Armed Forces (PACs) have been assigned to maintain law and order, and senior officials have been deployed to keep an eye on the situation. For alleged involvement in the violence, police have arrested 18 people under the Gangster Act.
According to Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena, the perpetrators of the incident are being identified using video clips and images gathered from various sources. The Gangster Act will be used to deal with the offenders, their property will be confiscated, and bulldozers will be run. For alleged involvement in the violence, police have arrested 18 people under the Gangster Act.
According to Meena, a conspiracy to incite violence by the Popular Front of India (PFI) or any other organisation is being investigated. He went on to say that a conspiracy is suspected because the group that called the bandh cancelled it after speaking with the administration, but violence erupted suddenly on Friday.
In Maharashtra, two cases have been filed against BJP leader Nupur Sharma for allegedly injuring Muslim religious sentiments during a televised debate – in Thane and South Mumbai. She’s been charged with ‘inciting hatred and insulting religious sentiments,’ ‘uttering words with the intent to hurt any person’s religious feelings,’ ‘acting intentionally and maliciously’ aimed at offending a class’s religious sentiments by offending their religion or religious beliefs,’ and other offences.