Kanpur violence: 3 PFI activists held, total arrests 54

The PFI activists allegedly mobilised the rioters and were in contact with Hayat Zafar Hashmi, the key conspirator of the violence, the police said.

Around a dozen more suspects are still in police detention and being interrogated over their alleged role in the incident. (Express Photo)

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday arrested three people 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, a senior official said.

The PFI activists allegedly mobilised the rioters and were in contact with Hayat Zafar Hashmi, the key conspirator of the violence, the police said.

“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,” Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena said.

Violence had erupted in parts of Kanpur after Friday prayers as members of two communities indulged in stone pelting and hurled bombs over attempts to shut shops in protest against “insulting” comments on Prophet Mohammed by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma during a TV debate.

Around a dozen more suspects are still in police detention and being interrogated over their alleged role in the incident.

Meanwhile, Abdul Quddus Hadi (city Qazi) condemned the police’s remarks that they would seize and demolish properties of those found involved in the violence.

“If bulldozer is used to demolish properties, we will come on street and fight till our death,” he said.

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