Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh): A ruckus broke out after Friday Namaz in Sikandrabad in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district yesterday as people pelted stones at police personnel in protest against remarks made by Dasna Devi Temple Mahant Yati Narsinghanand of Juna Akhara.
Eight people have been detained in connection with the incident and a huge police contingent has been deployed in the area. On information, several senior officers of police and administration reached the spot and PAC teams dispersed the crowd.
On September 29, Narsinghanand had participated at a programme in Ghaziabad's Lohianagar, where he reportedly made some remarks about Prophet Mohammad. This enraged Muslim community people who launched a protest after the Friday prayers.
It has been learnt that the protesters even reached near Dasna Devi temple. When police took some protesters into custody, the others started pelting stones at the police team.
Later DM and other officers appealed to the people to maintain peace. SSP Shlok Kumar said no police personnel was injured in the incident but the area has been wrapped under tight security and efforts are on to maintain peace. IG Meerut Zone Nachiketa Jha has inspected the spot.
Precautionary measures have been taken in Moradabad, Ghaziabad, Meerut and western part of Uttar Pradesh while police have been put on alert in many other cities.
Meanwhile a memorandum has been submitted to the City Magistrate requesting to take action against Narsinghanand and remove the video of his statement from social media.
SDM Renu Singh said that section 144 has been imposed in the area in view of the festivals. The stone pelting incident is also being investigated and further action will be taken on the basis of the report, Singh said.
Meanwhile, several people gathered outside the police station late on Friday evening demanding that those detained in the demonstration be released amid loud sloganeering.The crowd was pacified and sent back.
Following the incident, the market located on the city highway has been closed and an atmosphere of panic prevails among people. Shlok Kumar, SSP said a case has been registered in connection with the stone pelting incident.
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