Prophet Remarks Row: Over 400 Arrested Across Several States; 325 in UP Alone

Uttar Pradesh Police in Prayagraj on Saturday, 16 June.

(Photo: PTI)

Over 400 people have been arrested across several states so far in a clampdown on those involved in the violent protests on Friday, 10 June. This comes after controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad by two now-sacked Bharatiya Janata Party functionaries, with authorities in Uttar Pradesh razing "illegal" houses of the accused for the second day.

Among those arrested, 325 were held in eight districts in Uttar Pradesh and 100 in West Bengal, while the Ranchi Police registered 25 FIRs against "thousands" of people for the clashes that left two dead and scores of others injured on 10 June in the Jharkhand capital. Security was stepped up in other parts of the state also.

As many as 13 FIRs have been registered against 325 people in Uttar Pradesh. Police have arrested 92 in Prayagraj, 80 in Saharanpur, 51 in Hathras, 41 in Ambedkar Nagar, 35 in Moradabad, 16 in Firozabad, six in Aligarh, and four in Jalaun.

Fines under the relevant law will be imposed on people who are accused to have indulged in arson and damaged public and private property, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar had earlier said, as per NDTV.

Sporadic incidents of violence and protests were reported, including a group of people attacking and damaging a local train at Bethuadahari railway station in West Bengal's Nadia on Sunday evening even as prohibitory orders continued in parts of Howrah and Murshidabad districts.

Superintendent of Police (SP), Saharanpur, Rajesh Kumar had earlier said that two people involved in Friday's protests were found to have illegal constructions, which were subsequently bulldozed.

"Bulldozers were brought in and their houses were rowed down. Eighteen-year-old Muzammil was seen provoking groups and people to join protests. He studies in a madrasa," Kumar said, as per ANI.

"Another accused, Salman, who is an adult, was involved in getting posters printed for the protest. He has been booked and will be sent to jail," he added.

Police Raze Javed Mohammad's Property

The local administration in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj launched a demolition drive on Sunday and razed the property of Javed Mohammad, one of the persons alleged to have been involved in the violent protests against the derogatory remarks made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

A demolition notice was earlier issued to Javed, who is an activist associated with the Welfare Party of India.

The police had earlier arrested Javed, claiming that he was one of the main conspirators in the case, along with his wife Parveen and daughter Sumaiya.

'My Father Was Detained Without a Warrant'

Javed Mohammad's other daughter Afreen Fatima, in a video for Makhtoob Media, claimed that the Prayagraj Police came without any warrant or an official letter and detained her father on Friday.

"I don't know where my father is right now. At around 12.30 am police again came to my house and detained my mother and my younger sister," she further said.

"My sister is just 19 years old and my mother is a diabetic patient. Again we do not know where they are, why the police have taken them, how they are."

Afreen Fatima

She also added that at around 2.30 am, the police once again came to her house and tried to detain both her and her sister-in-law.

"When we resisted, they tried to intimidate us, harass us, threaten us in every way possible. But when we still stood our ground and said they can't take us at this time of the hour, they tried to evict us from our house," she said.

Fatima's mother and sister were released on Sunday morning.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI, and NDTV.)