In crackdown after Friday clash, 255 held, 6,000 booked in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: Intensifying its crackdown on protesters who indulged in violence in different parts of state, police arrested 255 persons by Saturday afternoon for stone pelting and defying law and order restrictions while protesting alleged derogatory remarks against the Prophet in separate incidents on Friday.
In FIRs lodged in connection with these incidents, as many as over 6,000 people, including unidentified mobs, have been booked. Senior home department and police officials are keeping a close watch on such incidents as well as police action that is being initiated. At least 150 companies of PAC and another 20 companies of RAF have been deployed in sensitive areas across the state. ADG, L&O, Prashant Kumar told TOI that peace prevailed in the entire state on Saturday.
Talking about the police crackdown, Kumar added that eight persons were arrested in Firozabad, three in Aligarh, 50 in Hathras, 25 in Moradabad, 28 in Ambedkarnagar, 64 in Saharanpur, and 68 in Prayagraj.
Kumar also said that as many as 6,000 persons have been booked in these districts in 13 FIRs (including one each in Kheri and Jalaun), out of which 245 are identified and have been arrested while 5,755 are being identified.
"CCTVs are being used to trace the pelters, also journalists who were on the spot and have videos are being used for identification. The local intelligence units are being instructed to zero in on troublemakers, while properties of some of the main accused identified in the violence in Prayagraj are also being tracked," he said.
The officer also added that the social media cell of the UP Police as well as the district police are keeping round-the-clock vigilance on social media handles trying to spread hatred and vitiate atmosphere.
In Ambedkarnagar, the imam of a mosque in Tanda, identified as Faraz Ahmad and accused of stoking the protests, has been arrested along with 27 others. The police teams also met religious leaders to maintain calm.
Three FIRs were registered in Saharanpur which saw violence on Friday. "In one registered at Kotwali police station, 40 persons have been arrested and police are preparing to press the National Security Act (NSA) against those who caused the trouble," said Saharanpur SSP Akash Tomar.
Tomar also added that properties of two involved in Friday's violence, Abdul Wakir and Muzammil, have been razed. They have also been arrested.
In Moradabad, police teams remained on the violence-hit spot and kept scanning the CCTVs. In Firozabad, local intelligence units visited the spot and checked credentials of locals in order to identify outsiders involved in the violence. Heavy police force remained deployed in Hathras.
In Prayagraj, officers of Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA), visited the spot of violence and carried out a survey of properties of those arrested in the violence.
Meanwhile, in Lucknow, police commissioner DK Thakur conducted a meeting with the West Zone which comprises the old city areas. "We have to maintain vigilance of the highest level, and be sensitive in the aftermath of protests, while communication with religious heads will be continued," he said.