Protests against Nupur Sharma: 10 booked in Ahmedabad, five released on bail in Surat

The Indian Express | 2 weeks ago

The Indian Express

2 weeks ago

Ten persons were booked in Jamalpur area of walled city Ahmedabad for unlawful assembly, two days after the June 10 protests over Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks against the Prophet, while in Surat, five men were released on bail arrested after one-day police remand over sticking posters of Sharma on the road and circulating videos of it on social media.According to police, an FIR under IPC sections 144 for unlawful assembly and 188 for disobedience to order given by a public servant was lodged on Sunday agai-nst 10 residents of Jamalpur area.Protests were held in Jamalpur, Kalupur, Khadia, Shahpur, Mirzapur and other areas of the old city against Sharma on June 10 after Friday prayers. Shops and markets were also shut at Teen Darwaza, Kalupur, and Relief Road as a mark of protest. According to police, an FIR was lodged on Sunday after the protesters were identified using video footage. They staged protest without permission, police said. Speaking to The Indian Express, Sushil Agarwal, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 3), Ahmedabad, said, “The accused were identified from the videos and booked under unlawful assembly and disobedience. Other accused who were part of the protests are also being identified. No arrests have been made yet.”The city police on Sunday also detained 48 persons in Juhapura locality in Vejalpur of Ahmedabad and resisted them from taking out a protest rally against Sharma. According to police, a group of persons tried to take out a rally from Sankalitnagar in Juhapura without police permission. Meanwhile, the cyber crime cell of Ahmedabad Police on Sunday, also arrested Irshad Ansari, 36, a resident of Rakhial in Ahmedabad, under sections of the Information Technology Amendment Act, for allegedly uploading multiple instigating posts on social media, urging people to protest against Sharma.In the Surat case, on June 11, personnel of Athwalines police station came across a video in which two youths were sticking photos of Nupur Sharma with a footprint on her face on the main road at Kadar Shah Naal area.Police removed the posters and nabbed two youths — Taufik Shaikh, a resident of Subedar building in Nanpura, and Saiyed Saddam, a resident of Kadar shah Naal, on June 11.On checking their phone, police found that Taufik had shared the photo of Nupur Sharma to his friend Imran Pathan, a resident of Nanpura, for getting print outs. Police also picked up Imran Pathan along with Shahrukh Pathan, a resident of Navsari bazaar, and Sher Mohammed Ansari, a resident of Nanpura.Athwalines police sub-inspector MI Vasava lodged a complaint against Taufik Shaikh, Saddam Saiyed, Imran Pathan and others, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. On Monday afternoon, all the arrested were produced before the court of Justice Yogita Sharma who granted bail to all. Talking to The Indian Express, defense lawyer Nadim Chaudhary said, “Taufik told me that he is illiterate…, while the FIR, mentioned that he sent a message to Imran on June 9… I checked the mobile phone of Taufik and found that the message was sent on June 10 at 3.18 pm. I shared the information with the judge. The judge personally checked the mobile phone and found it contradictory.”Deputy Commissioner of police Sagar Bagmar said, “We have come across the contradiction… There would be some communication mistakes. We are looking into it.”