Prophet remark row: After violence, UP admin rolls down bulldozers for 2nd day

The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) on Saturday completed the preparations to demolish Javed's house located in the Atala Chowk area of Khuldabad and started bulldozing the outer wall of the house at around 12 pm on Sunday.

Javed was taken into police custody on Saturday.

Two bulldozers of PDA demolished the outer wall of Javed's two-story house.

The demolition was stopped for a while over apprehensions that some people were still inside the house.

Police and PDA officials entered the house to ensure that no one was inside.

Meanwhile, the items in the house such as furniture and luggage were also taken out with the help of labourers.

PDA alleged that the house encroached on public land and the necessary approval had not been taken for such a construction. The concerned authorities had put the notice on Javed's house on Saturday, ordering the inhabitants to vacate the property by 11 am on June 12.

At the request of PDA, the district administration deployed Rapid Action Force (RAF) and one company of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), besides policemen of several police stations.

Apart from other officers of PDA, senior officers of district administration and police also reached the demolition site.

Amid the raging violence, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's office ordered the identification and immediate arrest of conspirators and accused.

"Closely investigate the CCTV footage. Proceedings against such people should be initiated under sections of the National Security Act and Gangster Act as per law," it tweeted.

On Saturday, police in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur shared videos of bulldozers demolishing parts of the homes of two of the accused arrested for disturbing the peace and social harmony over the remarks of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

Municipal teams razed the gates and outer walls of their houses  Muzammil and Abdul Waqir using bulldozers.

According to police and the municipal authorities, the demolished parts were illegal constructions.

In Kanpur,  where violent incidents had taken place on June 3, the police Saturday demolished properties belonging to a man they called a 'land mafia linked to local leader Zafar Hayat Hashmi who is the main accused in the violence.

The Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) razed a new building owned by one Mohammad Ishtiyaq, who is said to be a close relative of prime accused Zafar Hayat Hashmi. The building is located in the Swaroopnagar locality of Kanpur, 3 km away from where the violence happened, NDTV reported.

On Friday, a local court had granted 72 hours' police remand for Hashmi along with Jawed Ahmad Khan, Mohammad Rahil, and Sufiyan. "The accused were taken into police custody following the court's order on Saturday morning and will remain in custody till Tuesday morning," said Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and order) Anand Prakash Tiwari.

Till Saturday, 230 people were arrested in Uttar Pradesh in connection with the violence. 11 cases were filed in seven districts; all cases have been filed for serious offences.

UP Police's additional director general (law and order) Prashant Kumar told NDTV that strict action" will be taken against those who dare to disturb peace and harmony in the state.

The conspirators will be charged under Gangster Act, their properties will be seized, and it will be ensured that they pay for damages caused to the private and public properties so that such incidents are not repeated, Kumar added.

(With UNI inputs)