NEW DELHI: The situation in Uttar Pradesh's violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri, where an objectionable video on social media led to a communal clash, is getting back to normal. The curfew had been imposed last night but was relaxed for three hours this evening as the situation remained under control.

Communal tension and violence broke out in the city of Lakhimpur Kheri on Thursday, after two youth created and circulated an objectionable video of deities  and women of another religion.

The incident forced the district administration to impose curfew in the city which is 125 kms away from capital Lucknow.

 Police officials shutting down shops after curfew being imposed. PIC/ABP News.

10 IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW

  • The accused are friends who live in a small town near the city. They have been arrested, produced in court and sent to judicial custody, officials said. They created the offensive video on Whatsapp which later on went viral.  Six persons have been arrested so far.

  • One of the young men is a 12th standard student who was recently expelled from school.

  • "There is tension in the city but no incident of violence has been reported so far... Two young men who shot and circulated the video making objectionable statements about deities of another community have been arrested and sent to jail," Akash Deep, District Magistrate of Lakhimpur-Kheri district, told newagency IANS.

  • According to the officials, the video was shot on Wednesday. The fathers of the accused were detained at the district police station.

  • Meanwhile, tension gripped the whole city with markets shut and hundreds of people rallying around the district police station demanding the accused boys be handed over to them.

  • "The boys were arrested and the Magistrate arrived at the police station to take them under judicial custody before the situation could turn ugly... people were pacified somehow, however the tension still prevails," a police official told IANS.

  • "District administration is on high alert and police patrolling has been increased to avoid any untoward incident," the District Magistrate added.

  • An irate mob set ablaze a motorcycle outside the hospital where two persons were injured in firing.

  • The district police believe more people could be involved in shooting the video and they are investigating the matter.

  • According to the district administration, this is the first ever incident of communal tension here. No violence reported in the night. Schools were asked not to function on Friday.


 

Pictures from Lakhimpur Kheri below:

 Police patrolling the city. PIC/ABP News


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