13 arrested for violence during protest against Narsinghanand in Saharanpur: Police

Lucknow/Saharanpur: Police in Saharanpur district have arrested 13 persons in connection with stone pelting at Sheikhpura police post during a protest against controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand's remarks on Prophet Muhammad, a senior police official said on Monday.

Superintendent of Police (city) of Saharanpur Abhimanyu Manglik on Monday told PTI that a case has been registered against 20 named and other unidentified individuals under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

"Of these 20 named individuals, 13 accused persons were arrested on Sunday. Police teams have been constituted, and efforts are on to nab other accused," he said.

A group of nearly 1,500 people protested outside the police post in Sheikhpura on Sunday to protest against Narasinghanand's remarks.

"Members of the Muslim community had gathered at the Sheikhpura Qadeem post to submit a memorandum. Amid the crowd, some unruly elements began throwing stones at the police post, creating a tense situation in the area," Manglik had said.

Police responded promptly, dispersing those involved in pelting stones, and deployed additional police personnel to maintain order, he said.

Manglik said that no one was injured in the incident.

According to the Saharanpur Police, the case was registered under sections 190 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 191(2) (Rioting), 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351(3) (Criminal Intimidation), 125 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), 223 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 121(1) (Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 126(1) (Wrongful restraint) of BNS and CLA Act.

Multiple FIRs have already been registered against Yati Narsinghanand.

His aides have claimed that Narsinghanand has been kept in illegal detention, but the police has denied it.

Meanwhile, several Muslim organisations have called for the arrest of the priest, and leaders of political parties like the BSP, the National Conference and the Samajwadi Party have also joined the chorus for strict action against him.

On October 3, an FIR was lodged by Sub-inspector Trivendra Singh against Narsinghanand stating that on September 19 he had made derogatory remarks against a community during an event at Hindi Bhavan in Lohiya Naga and termed it as a violation of Section 302 of BNS (deals with the offence of uttering words or making sounds to intentionally hurt someone's religious feelings.) Another FIR was lodged by Bhanu Prakash Singh, sub-inspector and area beat in-charge Dasna area of Wave City police station.

In this complaint, the priest's disciples-- Anil Yadav Chota Narsimahanand, Yati Ran Singhanand, Yati Ram Swaroopanand and Yati Nirbhayanand of Dasna temple -- have been accused of making objectionable remarks, a video of which had appeared on social media.