Following Friday prayers, protests erupted in many locations across the state. Sloganeering was reported in Saharanpur, Moradabad, Rampur, and Lucknow, according to a senior officer at the Uttar Pradesh Police headquarters in Lucknow.
After the Friday prayers in Prayagraj’s Atala neighbourhood, people chanted slogans and threw stones. To maintain peace and order, a large police force was deployed in the region. Senior police and government officials have also arrived on the scene.
Police in Uttar Pradesh announced that 255 persons have been arrested across the state. Police officers in Saharanpur and Prayagraj warned anyone held under the National Security Act will face consequences.
Prashant Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), stated in a statement on Saturday evening that 68 people were detained in Prayagraj, 64 in Saharanpur, and 50 in Hathras.
Ambedkarnagar had 28 arrests, Moradabad had 27, Firozabad had 13, Aligarh had three, and Jalaun had two.
According to the ADG, 13 FIRs have been filed in connection with Friday’s demonstrations, including three each in Prayagraj and Saharanpur, as well as one each in Firozabad, Aligarh, Hathras, Moradabad, Ambedkarnagar, Kheri, and Jalaun.
Jharkhand
Two persons were killed in Ranchi after Friday prayers amid a violent demonstration against controversial remarks about Prophet Muhammad made by suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal, news agencu ANI reported.
There were demonstrations near Hanuman Temple, situated on the city’s Main Road, where hundreds of people demanded Sharma’s arrest, police said. Several officers were injured. A throng of people poured onto the street after Friday prayers, and police used lathi-charges and air shots to control them.
Several policemen were injured, a police official told PTI. We are investigating the incident and escalating deployments.
During the anti-Sharma/anti-Jindal protests on Main Road, there was a large crowd chanting anti-shamanism. To deal with the situation, a large amount of security has been deployed.
Demonstrations started early in the morning and intensified after Friday prayers. Restaurants and businesses were forced to close as a result.
Telangana
The same issue caused protests outside the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. Police took action to remove protesters. They were assisted by the CRPF.
Gujarat
A large number of people march in protest against Nupur Sharma in the state’s Solapur district and Navi Mumbai.
“I would like to assure Maharashtra’s people that the situation is under control and peaceful. Everyone, regardless of religious background, needs to work together to maintain that peace. The police were prepared. Only peaceful protests were seen in the state,” said Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil.
Karnataka
According to police, miscreants hung an effigy of Sharma from an electric wire outside a mosque on Fort Road in Belagavi, mimicking a public execution. They stated that because the matter sparked public concern, police and the city municipal corporation swiftly removed it.
Unknown miscreants have been charged with fostering hostility amongst communities and disrupting society’s harmony, according to the police.
