Stone-pelting and arson were reported in multiple districts in Uttar Pradesh on Friday in protests over Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Muhammad.
Following protests on Friday across Uttar Pradesh that turned violent at several places over comments on Prophet Muhammad by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, a total of 227 people have been arrested from various districts of UP.
Stones were pelted after Friday prayers at police personnel in Prayagraj and the mob set on fire few motorcycles and carts and also attempted to set ablaze a police vehicle. Police used tear gas and lathis to disperse the mobs and restored peace, police said. One police personnel got injured by mob.
People also pelted stones in Saharanpur where protesters called for death sentence for Nupur Sharma. Police had to resort to lathi-charge in Moradabad. In Bijnor, four people, including the district president of AIMIM, were arrested as a precautionary measure.
Besides these cities, protests also took place in Rampur and Lucknow.
Of those arrested in UP, 68 were arrested in Prayagraj, 50 in Hathras, 48 in Saharanpur, 28 in Ambedkarnagar, 25 in Moradabad, and eight in Firozabad, said Aditional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar.
Protests were held across the country on Friday that turned violent in Jharkhand's Ranchi and West Bengal's Howrah, involving stone-pelting and arson. Two people were killed in Ranchi and several, including police personnel, were suffered injuries. A policeman also sustained bullet injuries, according to IG (Operations) Amol V Homkar.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed in Ranchi's 12 police station areas and internet has also been suspended until the situation normalises.
Internet has also been suspended in West Bengal's Howrah till 6 am on Monday, where protesters blocked roads, clashed with the police, and indulged in arson.
(With PTI inputs)