Kanpur: Over 800 booked, 24 held; cops looking into PFI link

Kanpur/Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh police has booked over 800 people, arrested 24 and detained 12 for questioning in connection with rioting and violence in Kanpur, officials said on Saturday.

Kanpur Police Commissioner V S Meena said the accused will be booked under the stringent National Security Act and the Gangster Act while the possible role of groups like Popular Front of India (PFI) and others is being looked into.

Properties of those involved in the violence will be seized or demolished, said Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar.

"We have identified 36 people who were involved in the violence with help of CCTV footage and other video recordings of the incidents. A total of 24 people have been arrested so far of which 18 were held on Friday," the Kanpur police commissioner said.

Among those arrested is Hayat Zafar Hashmi, the chief of Maulana Mohammed Ali (MMA) Jauhar Fans Association which is a local social group. Hashmi, who is suspected to be the mastermind behind the violence, was arrested along with three others from the Hazratganj area of Lucknow.

"The arrested accused will be produced in court and we will seek 14 days of police remand to interrogate them about the conspiracy behind the incident," the officer said.

"We are probing the incident from various angles and looking into the involvement of groups like PFI and others. Anyone who is found guilty will not be spared." Meena said the police are also looking into lapses on the part of the force in preventing the violence.

"The area is peaceful and we are maintaining a round-the-clock vigil," Additional Commissioner of Police (law and order) Anand Prakash Tiwari said, adding three FIRs for rioting and violence have been lodged at Beckonganj police station.

The first FIR has been registered on a complaint by Beckonganj Station House Officer Nawab Ahmad against nearly 500 people for rioting with deadly weapons.