New Delhi
Protests erupted outside the Jama Masjid here after Friday prayers with hundreds of people demanding the arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad, police said.
A large crowd of people gathered on the steps of the famous mosque, carrying placards and shouting slogans against Sharma and Naveen Jindal, former head of the Delhi BJP's media unit. There was heavy security deployment to manage the situation and avoid any untoward incident.
According to senior police officials, the protest was held peacefully on the stairs near gate number one of the mosque, and it lasted for around 15 to 20 minutes. The protesters were dispersed from the area later.
"The protest was held near the gate number one of Jama Masjid. We demanded the arrested of Nupur Sharma for her remark on Prophet Mohammad. It was a peaceful protest, and people left the area after a while," said Akram Qureshi, a resident of the area.
"Nupur Sharma should be arrested. I will keep protesting until she is put behind the bars. How dare she disrespect our religion," questioned 57-year-old Baba Mastan, who was part of the protest.
Mohammad Fahad (59), a shopkeeper, said, "The protest started at 2 pm. They were dispersed by the police within 15-20 minutes. It was a peaceful protest."
Even after the protesters were dispersed, teams of the police and the CISF continued to be deployed in the area.
The row over the alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated on Sunday with protests from countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, prompting the BJP to take action against its functionaries and assert that it respects all religions.
As the row intensified domestically and abroad, the BJP on Sunday suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled Jindal.
The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against 31 people, including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, and filed a separate case against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for allegedly spreading hate and hurting religious sentiments.
The two FIRs were registered on Wednesday after a social media analysis, the police officials had said.
Former Delhi BJP media unit head Naveen Kumar Jindal, who was expelled from the party over his alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammad, and journalist Saba Naqvi have been named in the FIR.
Ranchi
Some policemen were injured here on Friday while trying to control an irate mob near Hanuman Temple, situated on Ranchi's Main Road, after protests erupted with hundreds of people demanding the arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad, police said.
Police fired in air besides resorted to lathi-charge to control the mob which spilled out on the road after Friday prayers and pelted stones and shouted slogans.
"Few policemen have been injured. We are looking into the situation. We are reinforcing deployment," a senior police official told PTI.
A large crowd of people gathered on Main Road shouting slogans against Sharma and Naveen Jindal, former head of the Delhi BJP's media unit.
Heavy security deployment has been made to manage the situation and avoid any untoward incident.
According to police officials, the protest have been continuing since morning and picked up tempo post-Friday prayers. Many shops and establishments kept their shutters down in protest against the remarks.
The protestors demanded immediate arrest of Sharma raising slogans.
"More than 1,100 shops in the market were shut since morning in protest against remarks of Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. We demand their immediate arrest," New Daily Market Traders Welfare Association President Haji Md Hasim told PTI.
Hasim said they wanted a peaceful procession but police didn't give permission. "So we are protesting peacefully outside our shops here," he said.
The row over the alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated on Sunday with protests from countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, prompting the BJP to take action against its functionaries and assert that it respects all religions.
As the row intensified within the country and abroad, the BJP on Sunday suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled Jindal.
Bhaderwah, Srinagar and other cities in J&K
Tension mounted in Jammu's Bhaderwah and some areas of Kishtwar prompting authorities to impose a curfew while parts of Kashmir observed a shutdown over the controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad by two now-suspended BJP leaders, officials said on Friday.
Internet services were snapped in the Bhaderwah and Kishtwar towns and Srinagar city of Kashmir as a precautionary measure. Mobile Internet was also suspended in parts of Kashmir, they said.
Sporadic incidents of stone-pelting were reported in Bhaderwah town. Some people, violating restrictions, came out on the streets and threw stones at security forces while raising slogans.
There was a minor incident of stone-pelting in Bhaderwah town but it has been brought under control. No one was injured, a senior officer told PTI.
The protest started in Baderwah town of Doda on Thursday when hundreds of people staged a sit-in against the remarks made by now-suspended BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal against Prophet Mohammad.
After intense negotiations, the protestors agreed to clear the road and entered the neighbouring Jama Masjid. Purported video clips of the inflammatory speeches went viral on social media. The police have registered a case and warned people against taking the law into their own hands.
However, tension increased around midnight when two women, who came out of the mosque, claimed that they were roughed up by the security forces who were implementing the curfew in the town.
Stones were pelted at the security forces who had to later lob tear gas shells and resort to lathi charge.
Tension eased after senior officials, including the additional deputy commissioner, assured the protestors that an enquiry would be held to probe into the allegations levelled by the two women.
Additional Director General (ADG) of Police Mukesh Singh visited the Baderwah town along with the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, and other officials to assess the situation.
Later, he told reporters that preventive measures have been taken to ease the situation and requested the media not to visit areas where stone-pelting had taken place as it could flare up the situation.
"Security forces have been deployed in large numbers in Bhaderwah town. The situation is under control. Anyone who tries to vitiate the atmosphere will face stringent action," Singh said.
The ADG held a meeting with all security agencies, civil administration and the Army to assess the situation and asked them to take stringent action against the miscreants.
A route march was held in Masjid Mohalla, Sadar Bazar and Pasri Bus Stand are in Bhaderwah town, Singh added.
In Kashmir, security forces have been deployed in strength at sensitive places of Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley for maintaining law and order.
The old city -- popularly known as Downtown Srinagar -- witnessed a complete shutdown with public transport off the roads. However, traffic was plying in Lal Chowk, Batamaloo and adjoining areas with offices and schools remaining open.
Authorities have shut down the Internet on mobile devices in some areas as a precautionary measure to stop rumour-mongers, officials said, adding there were no report of any untoward incident in the Valley so far.
Protests were held at Lal Chowk, Batamaloo, Tengpora and other parts of Srinagar. Men and women staged protests by holding placards after the Friday prayers, officials said here.
Officials said the protests were peaceful with no untoward incident reported from anywhere so far.
Union minister and Udhampur MP Jitendra Singh appealed for peace and harmony.
"Curfew has been imposed in both Doda and Kishtwar districts as a precautionary measure," Divisional Commissioner, Jammu region, Ramesh Kumar told PTI.
Registering FIRs, the police have warned that anyone found violating law and order will not be spared.
"Action has been taken (over inflammatory speeches). A case has been registered under IPC sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) at Bhaderwah police station," a police official said.
"Anyone who takes the law into his own hands will not be spared," he said.
The divisional commissioner and the DIG will hold a meeting with religious leaders in the afternoon and they have been asked to persuade members of their communities to maintain peace.
Cleric Adil Ganai, who has been booked for making inflammatory and hate speeches in Bhaderwah on Thursday, tendered an apology for hurting the sentiments of a particular community.
"It was not against a community but a particular individual. Despite that, I hurt the feelings of a community, I apologise", he told reporters. Ganai said it was the result of an emotional outburst. "I apologize for that."
Taking to Twitter, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said, "I hope cooler heads prevail. Jammu and Kashmir has enough problems without adding to them with communal tension spreading in and around Bhadarwah. I appeal to everyone to maintain calm and ask my party colleagues to help normalise the situation at the earliest."
Lucknow and other cities in UP
Protests broke out at several places in the state after the Friday prayers over now-suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma's controversial remark on Prophet Mohammad recently.
A senior official at the Uttar Pradesh Police headquarters in Lucknow said sloganeering took place in Saharanpur, Moradabad, Rampur and Lucknow.
People raised slogans and pelted stones in the Atala area of Prayagraj after the Friday prayers ended.
A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure law and order. Senior police and administrative officials have also reached the spot.
Additional Director General (Law and Order) Parashant Kumar said, "The reports of stone-pelting in Prayagraj are being looked into." He said Friday prayers were held peacefully in most places across the state.
This comes following clashes last week in Kanpur over the remarks on the Prophet at a TV debate some days earlier. A high alert was issued across the state after that, and a heavy police force was deployed to ensure that violence does not occur again.
Belagavi
Miscreants on Friday hanged an effigy of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma from an electric wire resembling a public execution near a mosque on Fort Road, police said.
As the issue triggered a public outrage, police along with the city municipal corporation removed it quickly, they added.
The police have registered a case against unknown miscreants for spreading enmity between communities and disturbing peace in the society.
The BJP on June 5 suspended Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated with protests from some Muslim countries.
Delhi Police had provided security to Sharma and her family after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad. She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving.