Kanpur: Clashes Erupt Over BJP Leader Nupur Sharma's Remarks, Police Say Situation Under Control

Kanpur Parade Chauraha Violence: The clashes erupted after the Muslim community closed their shops in protest over Nupur Sharma's remarks.

Clashes took place between two communities at Kanpur's Parade Chowk ( Image Source :ABP News )

Kanpur: Clashes broke out between two communities on Friday in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur over BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's recent remarks on Prophet Muhammad. The violence took place in Kanpur's Parade Chauraha, which is just 70 km away from Kanpur Dehat district where President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended an event together.

However, Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena told ABP News that the situation was now under control.

Some local leaders, including Maulana Mohammed Ali (MMA) Jauhar Fans Association chief Hayat Zafar Hashmi, had called for closure of shops on Friday in protest against Nupur Sharma's remarks, PTI reported. The clashes erupted after members of one of the groups attempted to shut shops belonging to the other community.

The two sides hurled bombs and opened fire as hundreds of people came out on the streets. About half-a-dozen people sustained serious injuries in the incident, PTI reported.

Police used tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. Videos of the clashes doing rounds on social media showed mobs on two sides of a road pelting stones at each other. Another video showed the police firing tear gas shells at the mob.

Kanpur's District Magistrate Neha Sharma told PTI, "Members of a particular community took to the street in protest and indulged in violence. Several people were seriously injured and have been sent for medical assistance. Heavy police force has been deployed in the affected areas. The police have also sought additional reinforcement."

Earlier this week, an FIR was registered against Nupur Sharma in Pune for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her comments on Prophet Muhammad during a television news debate, PTI reported.

The case was registered at Kondhwa police station on Tuesday on a complaint by Abdul Gafur Pathan, a former corporator of the Pune Municipal Corporation.

"This FIR was registered based on a statement recorded by Abdul Gafur Pathan. As per his statement, on May 28, he got a link on WhatsApp about the (news channel) debate on the Gyanvapi issue in which Sharma was one of the panellists. He said he was hurt after watching the comments made by Sharma on Prophet Muhammad and his wife," a police officer told PTI.

Police invoked sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code against Sharma.

Two cases were earlier filed against Nupur Sharma in Mumbai under the same set of legal provisions.