Lucknow:
Uttar Pradesh police have so far arrested 337 people from eight districts in connection with violence that erupted after Friday prayers on June 10 over a controversial remark against the Prophet Mohammed, an official said Tuesday.
Thirteen FIRs have also been registered in nine districts in this regard, additional director general of police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said in a statement.
Of the 337 people arrested, 92 are from Prayagraj, 83 from Saharanpur, 52 from Hathras, 41 from Ambedkar Nagar, 40 from Moradabad, 18 from Firozabad, six from Aligarh and five from Jalaun, said Kumar, who authorized a district break .
Of the 13 cases, three were registered, each in Prayagraj and Saharanpur, and one in Firozabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Moradabad, Hathras, Aligarh, Lakhimpur Kheri and Jalaun, the officer said.
A mob had pelted rocks at police during the violence in Prayagraj and Saharanpur. At least four other towns had witnessed similar scenes during the marches conducted in Prayagraj, a mob had set fire to some motorcycles and carts, and also attempted to set fire to a police vehicle in protest at the controversial remark about the Prophet. Mohammed by now-suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma.
A police officer was also injured in the chaos. Police had used tear gas and a lathe to disperse the protesters.
In Saharanpur, protesters shouted slogans against Sharma and demanded the death penalty for her.
There were also protests in Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur and Lucknow.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.)