Protest Outside Jama Masjid: Two Held For Disrupting Communal Harmony

The police said the two arrested have no previous criminal record, adding the CCTV and mobile footage recorded by the public in the area is also being scanned to identify more culprits.

Protest outside Delhi’s Jama Masjid. (File Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday said two men were arrested for allegedly disrupting communal harmony and holding a protest without permission in the Jama Masjid area of the national capital last week against the controversial remarks of now-sacked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries on Prophet Mohammad, PTI reported. Mohd Nadeem Zaid (45), a resident of the Jama Masjid area, and Mohd Faheem Khan (37), a resident of the Turkman Gate area, were arrested last night.

Zaid is a vendor, while Khan works as an electrician.

The police said the two arrested have no previous criminal record, adding the CCTV and mobile footage recorded by the public in the area is also being scanned to identify more culprits.

Earlier on June 10, protests erupted outside the Jama Masjid area with scores of people demanding suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s arrest.

Carrying placards, the protesters raised slogans against Sharma and Naveen Jindal, former head of the Delhi BJP’s media unit, over their remarks on Prophet Mohammad.

“On June 10, an FIR was registered at Jama Masjid police station against the protesters under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as a protest was held in the Jama Masjid area after Friday prayers without permission,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shweta Chauhan said.

“Section 153A IPC has also been added (to the FIR) for promoting communal disharmony in the area,” she added.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) said Zaid held a poster in his hands after Friday prayers on June 10.

“Both Zaid and Khan raised slogans... during the unlawful assembly at Jama Masjid,” she added.

The top cop further said efforts are on to identify the others involved.

“We are scanning footage of multiple CCTVs installed at the protest site and also going through mobile footage recorded by the public to identify more culprits, if any, so that they can be nabbed,” Chauhan said.

“Around 1,500 people had gathered at the mosque for Friday prayers. When the prayers ended peacefully, some people came outside, started showing placards and shouting slogans. Some others also joined them later and the number went up to around 300,” she added.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) had earlier said that the protesters were dispersed by the police within 10 to 15 minutes.

Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari distanced himself from the protest.

Demanding action against the people involved, Bukhari said: “Nobody knows who the protesters were.”

The row over the remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated last week as several Muslim nations condemned them.

This prompted the BJP to suspend Sharma and expel Jindal.