UP: 33 (rpt) 33 arrested for clash over religious poster 'desecration'

The police today arrested 33 (rpt) 33 people and detained at least 12 others in connection with clashes between two communities over alleged "desecration" of a religious poster at Darshanpurwa area here.
Thirty-three (rpt) thirty-three people from both the communities have been arrested after they were identified in the footages provided by the media and videography done on police department's behest, Senior Superintendent of Police, Shalabh Mathur said.
More than 100 persons have been named in the FIR, he said.
The situation in the areas of Fazalganj, Chamanganj, Sisamau and Naubasta, where the clashes took place on October 24 is currently normal, Additional District Magistrate Avinash Singh said, adding that forces are still being deployed in the areas as a preventive measure.

Following the accused's arrests, their family members, including women, staged a demonstration at Chamanganj police station claiming that the arrested were innocent.
The local BJP leader also accused the police of arresting people from only one community.

BJP MLA Satish Mahana said that women and people above the age of 60 years have also been arrested. He said that many of those arrested were not even in the city when the clashes occurred.
The protesters met Kanpur IG over the issue and were assured of justice.
Meanwhile, SSP Mathur rejected the allegations and said that members of both the communities are being arrested.

Whoever is getting identified is being nabbed irrespective of their community. The arrests will continue, he said.
On October 24, a clash had broken out between two communities after poster of a Goddess was found on the ground at Darshanpurwa under Fazalganj police station here.
As many as 2,550 people, including women, were booked at various police stations in this connection.