Authorities mull action against others after bulldozing home of violence 'mastermind'
Prayagraj/ New Delhi/ Lucknow: After the demolishing the house of the alleged mastermind of last Friday's violence here, authorities are now going over a list of 37 other accused for similar action.
An official said the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) is trying to identify the homes of the 37 people and action according to the law will be taken if their building plans have not been approved.
Violence broke out in Prayagraj and some other UP cities on Friday during protests over recent remarks on Prophet Mohammad by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
On Sunday, the PDA bulldozed the house of Javed Ahmad, the main accused in the violence during which mobs hurled stones, some motorcycles and carts were set on fire and a policeman injured.
Prayagraj Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar earlier said two country-made pistols and several live cartridges were recovered from the house during a search.
The demolition, a part of a series of similar actions by Uttar Pradesh Police in other places, was criticised by opposition parties and some legal experts.
Former judges and senior advocates have written to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana urging him to take suo motu cognizance of alleged incidents of illegal detention, bulldozing of residences, and police action on protestors agitating against certain objectionable remarks made by BJP spokespersons.
The letter signed by them said, the letter petition is being presented as an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court of India to take cognisance of the recent incidents of violence and repression by state authorities on citizens of Uttar Pradesh.
It further said that the recent remarks made by certain BJP spokespersons (since suspended from the office) on the Prophet Mohammed have resulted in protests in multiple parts of the country, particularly in UP.
The letter petition has been signed by former judges of the top court Justices B Sudarshan Reddy, V Gopala Gowda, and AK Ganguly, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court AP Shah, former judge of Madras High Court Justice K Chandru, and former judge Karnataka High Court Mohammed Anwar.
Among the senior lawyers who have signed the letter petition include senior advocates Shanti Bhushan, Indira Jaising, CU Singh, Sriram Panchu, Prashant Bhushan, and Anand Grover.
It said, Instead of giving protestors an opportunity of being heard and engaging in peaceful protests, the UP state administration appears to have sanctioned taking violent action against such individuals. The Chief Minister has reportedly officially exhorted officials to take such action against those guilty that it sets an example so that no one commits a crime or take the law into their hands in future.
It added that the UP CM has further directed that the National Security Act, 1980, and the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, be invoked against those found guilty of unlawful protests.
It is these remarks that have emboldened the police to brutally and unlawfully torture protestors, the letter petition added.
