BJP leader arrested for inciting violence in Lakhimpur Kheri

SHAHJAHANPUR: Six people, including a BJP leader, were on Friday arrested for inciting violence in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri district which witnessed communal clashes on Thursday night after two local youths circulated an objectionable video.
Curfew was imposed in the district on Thursday following communal clashes, in which two people had suffered gunshot injuries. All educational institutes in the districts have been closed till further orders by the district administration.Vinod Gupta, who switched over to BJP from Samajwadi Party about two months back, was held for making inflammatory remarks and has been booked under sections 146 (rioting),147 (punishment for rioting),148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon) of the IPC. "We have arrested six people, including Vinod Gupta. The situation is currently under control," Kheri superintendent of police Manoj Kunar told TOI.
However, BJP played down Gupta's arrest and said that he must be released so that the party can find out whether he indeed did anything wrong. "Police must release Vinod Gupta immediately. We will have to speak to him to find out what exactly happened. We strongly condemn any kind of violence," BJP district spokesperson Ramesh Mishra said.
Meanwhile, curfew was relaxed in Lakhimpur city from 3.30 pm to 6 pm on Friday. Internet services remained suspended almost throughout the day and police along with PAC took out a peace march in the sensitive areas. While the entire city remained shut for most of the day, members from a community were allowed to assemble for Friday prayers under tight vigil.
This is the first time after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assignation in 1984 that curfew has been imposed in Lakhimpur Kheri. Considering the sensitivity of the situation, the DIG and IG along with the district administration officials convened a meeting of a peace committee which had members from the two communities involved in Thursday's clashes. "There has been no fresh incident of violence. We will review the situation in a day or two before taking a call on lifting the curfew. People have been advised not to believe rumours as no one has died in Thursday's clashes," SP Manoj Kumar said.