Clashes break out in Kanpur over ‘insult’ to Prophet; 12 hurt, 18 held

Kanpur/Lucknow: A dozen persons were reportedly injured in a clash in Kanpur over an alleged ‘insult’ to Prophet Mohammed during a debate on TV. Mobs hurled bombs and pelted stones at each other after groups of people tried to force shopkeepers to down shutters in Nai Sadak and Yateemkhana areas of the city after Friday namaz, police said.
Preliminary reports suggest that the allegedly insulting remarks were made by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma during a television debate recently.
Police reacted swiftly and arrested 18 persons in an intensive crackdown and brought the situation under control. A total of 12 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) companies have been sent to the area to maintain law and order. An SP-rank officer, Ajay Pal Sharma, has also been sent from Lucknow to monitor the situation.