FIR against over 2 dozen people for putting up 'I Love Mohammad' boards on public road in UP's Kanpur

Kanpur (UP), Sep 15 (PTI) More than two dozen individuals have been booked on charges of disturbing communal harmony for allegedly putting up boards and erecting a tent on a public road during Barawafat celebrations here, police said on Monday.

The FIR was registered on September 9 against nine named and 15 unidentified people for allegedly installing boards with “I Love Mohammad” written on them on a public road in Syed Nagar under Rawatpur police station area, they said. The move triggered objections from Hindu organisations, who termed it a “new trend” and alleged it was a deliberate provocation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Dinesh Tripathi said.

Members of the Muslim community had installed these boards last week and erected a tent on a public road, close to a gate from where the Ram Navami procession usually passes, the DCP told PTI.

“We tried to persuade them to remove the boards and tent as no new trend on public roads can be permitted. Their actions posed a potential threat to law and order. No one will be spared,” Tripathi said.

Muslim clerics were also called in to mediate, but initial efforts proved futile, police said.

Police later got the boards and tent removed to restore peace, said an official.

On the complaint of Sub-Inspector Pankaj Sharma, the FIR was filed against the accused under charges of disturbing communal harmony and unlawful assembly, police said.

In the FIR, Sharafat Hussain, Babu Ali, Mohammad Siraj, Rahman, Ikram Ahmed, Iqbal, Bunty, Kunnu ‘Kabadi’ and Sahnoor Alam have been named, along with two vehicle drivers and 15 unidentified individuals, police said.

Police said CCTV footage confirmed their involvement.

Station House Officer (Rawatpur) K K Mishra told reporters that the police investigation suggested that the accused persons acted "deliberately" to disturb communal harmony.

“This was a planned attempt to disrupt peace. Searches are on to arrest the absconding accused,” the SHO added. PTI COR ABN ABN KVK KVK