Amid FIRs and arrests, uneasy calm prevails in U.P.’s Saharanpur

Residents of violence-hit U.P. town wary to speak up, fear demolitions

Days after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur over the controversial remarks made by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammed, uneasy calm prevails in the city amid filing of various FIRs and arrests. “We don’t know, maybe our child, or we are next to get arrested, while our house will get demolished” the residents said.

The demonstration took place after the afternoon prayers on June 10, when a crowd of more than 1,000-1,500 people marched from Jama Masjid to Ghanta Ghar — the area is also known as Nehru Market, which is a km long. The people were chanting slogans, and demanding the arrest of Ms. Sharma, a senior police officer deployed at the location said. A team of Rapid Action Force (RAF), Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and the local police had been deployed in the area, he added.

“The situation was brought under control in a few hours. We had heavy police deployment in the area; shops at the market were shut, and the shopkeepers were asked to leave, while we tried to maintain law and order in the region,” he added.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Saharanpur, Akash Tomar, on Monday said three cases were registered on June 10 by the police, in which, a total of 84 people had been arrested in connection with Saharanpur violence. Based on the CCTV footage, 100 people had been identified.

Mr Tomar said a joint team of the Saharanpur administration, development authority, magistracy, revenue, municipal corporation and the police was formed to take action on illegal properties of the accused in the violence.

Mr. Tomar said the teams were constantly in contact with religious leaders and no innocent would be harassed. “Action will be taken against the main accused under the National Security Act  [NSA],” he added.

While the violence was leading the headlines, Mr. Tomar on Monday said 18 people (including 12 Hindus and 6 Muslims) had been arrested in the city for hate speech in the last week.