NSA slapped on Kanpur violence 'mastermind', Gangster Act on others accused

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday slapped the National Security Act (NSA) on Hayat Zafar Hashmi, the alleged 'mastermind' of the communal violence in Kanpur town in June this year in which 40 people, including police personnel, were injured.

According to the official sources here, the state government invoked the Gangster Act against four other accused persons in the violence.

Communal clashes had erupted in Kanpur town on June two last during a bandh called by some Muslim outfits in protest against alleged objectionable remarks on Prophet Mohammed by BJP spokesmperson Nupur Sharma.

The police said that the violence in the town was part of a pre-planned conspiracy. ''We have evidence to prove that the violence was pre-planned.....the rioters had amassed had amassed petrol bombs and anti-social elements had been paid to trigger violence,'' said a senior police official in Kanpur.

Hashmi, who was said to be behind the bandh call, was arrested from the office of a Youtube channel in Lucknow. Four others were also arrested with him

The police had so far arrested 60 people and booked around one thousand others in connection with the violence in Pared, Yateemkhana and some other areas in the town on a day when President Ramnath Kovind and prime minister Narendra Modi were on a visit to the neighbouring Kanpur Dehat district.

Police sources also said that Hashmi's connection with the Popular Front of India (PFI) was also being probed. ''The PFI had given a call for bandh in Manipur and West Bengal in protest against the BJP spokesperson's remarks,'' he added.

''PFI's hand was also found in the violence in the town after the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act....five PFI workers were then arrested in connection with the violence,'' he said.

Police sources said that Hashmi had, through posts on his Facebook account, 'instigated' the people to close their shops and business establishment and court arrest to protest against the remarks of the BJP leader.