India: Massive violence broke out across India over remarks made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on the life of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. According to media reports, Islamists gathered large numbers after Friday prayer, pelted stones, and created ruckus after the Namaz.
Social media is currently flooded with stone-pelting videos in the following states: Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
The state of UP was riddled with protests across Lucknow, Prayagraj, Deoband and Moradabad over the same issue. In UP’s Saharanpur, Namazis tried to march towards the Ghantaghar after Friday prayers in the Nawabganj area. To contain the situation, cops resorted to baton-charge to disperse the crowd. The situation was tense but it got controlled at the moment.
Jama Masjid, Delhi
On Friday, protests broke out on the premises of Delhi’s Jama Masjid over remarks made by now-suspended BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal on the life of Mohammad. Thousands of protestors, including children, were on the mosque’s premises and chanted hatefull slogans.
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
According to the local media reports sloganeering took place in Saharanpur, Moradabad, Rampur and Lucknow. After the Friday prayers ended, people raised hateful slogans and pelted stones in the Atala area of Prayagraj.
A heavy police force was deployed to ensure law and order. Senior police and administrative officials had also reached the spot. Additional Director General (Law and Order) Parashant Kumar said: “The reports of stone-pelting in Prayagraj are being looked into.”
Uttar Pradesh police has also arrested 21 rioters for creating a ruckus.
Ranchi
A few policemen were injured here on Friday while trying to control an irate mob near Hanuman Temple, situated on Ranchi’s Main Road, after protests erupted with hundreds of violent Islamist mob demanding the arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, police said.
Apart from lathi-charge, cops even fired in the air to control the mob, which spilled out on the road after Friday prayers and pelted stones and shouted slogans.
West Bengal
Violence was also reported in West Bengal’s Howrah, where rioters created ruckus on National Highway 116, bringing traffic on the road to a near-halt. The protesters burnt tyres and shouted slogans on NH116.
