At least 109 Muslims were arrested from various districts of Uttar Pradesh Friday hours after Muslims in the state took to the streets to demand the arrest of Nupur Sharma over her derogatory comments on prophet Muhammed.
The protests were held in at least three districts – Moradabad, Saharanpur and Ferozabad – after Friday prayers.
38 arrests were made in Saharanpur, 23 in Ambedkarnagar, 15 in Prayagraj, 24 in Hathras, seven in Moradabad and two in Ferozabad.
“One RAF jawan was hit with a brick. The stone pelting happened in two phases for short durations. In Saharanpur, Firozabad and Moradabad but they were controlled in a short while and people were sent back home. No violence has taken place in these districts,” Indian Express quoted UP ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar as saying.
In Prayagraj, there were instances of stone-throwing and the police cracking down on protesters in one area. The police fired tear gas.
Massive protests also erupted across the country including in Delhi, Ranchi and Kolkata today.
The demonstrations in the national capial took place outside the iconic Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, after the Friday prayers.
The derogatory comments against prophet Muhammaed by the representatives of India’s ruling party BJP during a TV debate and on Twitter earlier this month had angered Muslims in India and abroad.
