SIT set up to probe Kanpur clashes, 7 more held
KANPUR: The Kanpur police commissioner on Sunday constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe Friday’s rioting and violence in Parade and other areas even as seven more persons were arrested in the case, taking the total number of arrests to 29.Alleged mastermind Hayat Zafar Hashmi and his three aides were produced in a local court and sent to jail on Sunday. Over a dozen persons, including a cop, were injured in the violence.
“An SIT has been formed to destroy the network of the accused and to check their mobiles. Besides, one more team has been formed. The formation of these teams will decide the progress of the investigation in this case,” police commissioner Vijay Singh Meena told TOI.
Violence broke out in Parade and its adjoining Nai Sadak and Yateem Khana areas after Friday prayers when some people tried to force shopkeepers to down shutters over the alleged insulting remarks made by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma during a TV debate recently, police said.
Police sources said that it has come to the fore during investigations that efforts were made to tamper with and erase the footage from DVRs. “We will not spare even those who destroy evidence,” said the CP. Police have also identified the stone-pelters. “The pictures of the stonepelters will appear in posters and there will be an appeal to the people of the area to help police in getting them arrested,” he said.
Meena said important documents have been recovered from Hashmi. “Evidence of conspiracy has been found by checking Hashmi's WhatsApp and Instagram,” he added.
Police said the arrested persons have revealed the names of six other accused responsible for vitiating the peaceful atmosphere of the city. “Our police teams are conducting raids to arrest them,” said the CP.
Sources said police have also found documents of four organizations related to Popular Front of India (PFI) from Hashmi. “Many documents of organisations like AIIC (All India Imam Council) , SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India), CFI (Campus Front of India) and RIF (Rehab India Foundation) have been recovered from Hashmi. All these are linked to PFI, which has been funding all these institutions in the past as well,” sources added.
Police also claim to have found vital clues related to violence on a WhatsApp group by the name of MM Jauhar Fans Association, which was operated by Hashmi and others.
Officials said as per the call detail records, Hashmi’s location was found near Yateem Khana, a few metres away from Parade, from where the violence originated. The location of Javed Khan, who runs a YouTube channel from Lucknow, was near the violence-hit Dada Miyan, Nai Sarak and Yateem Khana, said an official privy to the investigations.
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