Row over Prophet remark: 140 protesters held after Friday stone-pelting, violence in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: At least 140 protesters were arrested after violence and stone-pelting in more than half a dozen districts of the state anti- after Friday prayers. In an emergency meeting, CM Yogi directed strict action against those involved in incidents of stone-pelting and violence, especially in Saharanpur and Prayagraj.
Protesters were demanding the arrest of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for comments against Prophet Muhammad.
In an emergency meeting on Friday evening, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed strict action against those involved in incidents of stone-pelting and violence, especially in Saharanpur and Prayagraj. ADG (law and order) said that those found guilty would be booked under Gangster Act and the NSA.
The CM said that the administration will take strict action against whoever tries to vitiate the atmosphere of the state.
Police used force to quell stone-pelting protesters in Prayagraj and disperse slogan-shouting mobs in Saharanpur after Friday prayers. Sloganeering was also reported from Moradabad while clashes took place in Prayagraj in which an RAF personnel was injured.
"In rest of the state, the situation remained by and large peaceful," said ADG, law and order, Prashant Kumar in Lucknow.
No untoward incident was reported from Kanpur which was rocked by violence that began after protests last Friday. As many as 130 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed across the state to keep law and order in control.
Senior officers including additional chief secretary, home, Awanish Awasthi, DGP, DS Chauhan, and ADG (law and order), Prashant Kumar were part of the meeting chaired by the CM at his residence. A senior police official said that CM reviewed the situation and ordered the arrest of all those involved in creating lawlessness and damaging property.
On the other hand, cracking down on the protestors, UP police arrested 140 of them till last reports came in - 45 in Saharanpur, 37 in Prayagraj, 20 in Hathras, 23 in Ambedkarnagar, seven in Moradabad and eight in Firozabad.
Five FIRs were registered in which 200 have been booked as identified and 400 others as unidentified.
ACS, Home, Awanish Awasthi, said minor force was used to stop some people involved in the violence. "The situation in Prayagraj is now peaceful. I would like to appeal to people to use democratic ways of protest without resorting to violence," he said. "All those who tried to take law into their hands will not be spared. They will be traced and action will be taken against them based on their involvement. An RAF personnel in Prayagraj was injured," DGP DS Chauhan said.
ADG Prashant Kumar told TOI that all those whose role surfaces in the clashes and protests would be booked under the charges of NSA, Gangster Act and their properties would also be seized.
"Only in five districts the peace was disrupted while 70 districts remained peaceful because of our efforts and deployment of 130 companies of the PAC, while additional companies of RAF have been roped in cities where incidents were reported" said Kumar.
The officer also said that the 130 companies of PAC would continue to be deployed in the sensitive areas of the state. U vehicles intensified patrolling while cops in all the districts were instructed to remain on toes.
In Bijnor as a preventive measure, four people, including the district president of AIMIM, were held.
"In Lucknow, the cops had started visiting sensitive localities and making appeals for peace from Thursday night," said ADCP, West, Chiranjeev Sinha.