Protests erupt across Indian cities demanding arrest of Nupur Sharma
Protests broke out in several cities across India – including Delhi and Kolkata – after Friday prayers today, demanding arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her offensive remarks on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), police said.
In Delhi, scores of people, carrying placards, shouted slogans against her outside the city's landmark Jama Masjid, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. #WATCH People in large numbers protest at Delhi's Jama Masjid over inflammatory remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma & expelled leader Naveen Jindal, earlier today
No call for protest given by Masjid, says Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid. pic.twitter.com/Kysiz4SdxH
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2022
A senior Delhi Police officer said that while some of the demonstrators left the Jama Masjid after some time, others continued to demonstrate.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Nupur Sharma for allegedly spreading hate and hurting religious sentiments. The two FIRs were registered on Wednesday after a social media analysis, they had said.
Former Delhi BJP media unit head Naveen Kumar Jindal, who was expelled from the party over his alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), and journalist Saba Naqvi have been named in a separate FIR on the charges of promoting enmity between two religious groups.
Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid said no protest was called on behalf of the mosque
In Kolkata, demonstrations were brought out in Park Circus area and Howrah.
Reports of protests after Friday prayers also came in from Hyderabad, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and in at least two other cities of Uttar Pradesh – Lucknow and Moradabad.
Large numbers of people brought out processions shouting slogans near landmark Charminar area of Hyderabad city and several areas in Srinagar.
Sporadic stone-pelting by protesters and clashes between demonstrators and police reportedly took place in Saharanpur and Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) towns in Uttar Pradesh, and in Ranchi, the capital city of eastern Indian state of Jharkhand.
Reports said that in Prayagraj there were incidents of stone-throwing and the police cracking down on protesters in one area.
In Saharanpur town of western UP, locals staged protest and tried to march towards Ghantaghar area after Friday prayers in Nawabganj area. However, they were foiled by baton-wielding police, according to reports.
In Ranchi, an agitation demanding Nupur Sharma's arrest led to stone-pelting, following which police charged baton at the protesters. Some police personnel were reportedly injured in the clashes.
Police also fired blanks to disperse the crowd after Friday prayers near Daily Market in Ranchi, where shopkeepers were observing a day-long bandh over the issue.
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