Kanpur, June 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):The police in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh arrested three Muslim youth associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with the Kanpur violence, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 54.

Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena told reporters, “The three, identified as Saifullah, Mohammad Naseem and Mohammad Umar, with affiliation to PFI, were identified in 2019. They had also been arrested during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019.”

The arrests come after Muslims in Kanpur accused the city police of arbitrary arrests and intimidation of Muslims in connection with the violence over protests against derogatory comments on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by BJP leader. The city witnessed violence on Friday after a Hindu mob attacked a protest led by Muslims against the Islamophobic comments of BJP leader Nupur Sharma.

On Friday, a Muslim organisation called to shut down shops at the Parade Market – one of the biggest wholesale markets in the city – over the comments made by Sharma about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in a televised debate. The clashes began when the Hindu groups started hurling stones at protesting Muslims. Videos showed the Hindu mob attacking Muslims in the presence of Indian police.

On June 4, police had registered three FIRs against more than 1,000 unknown persons, out of which 55 people have been named as accused, all of whom are Muslims, according to The Wire. The city police also released the pictures of 40 “rioters”. All the 40 men are from Muslim community, a local activist told the media.

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