Dussehra clash: Following protest, Kanpur police remove posters with photos of accused

“Among those whose photographs were displayed, some are minors. It is wrong to display photos of anyone before a court declares him a proclaimed absconder. Moreover, on October 24 there was a clash between two communities. But the police displayed photographs of people from one community only,” said Satish Mahana, MLA from Maharajpur assembly seat in Kanpur.

When contacted, Kanpur SSP Shalabh Mathur said, “We removed the hoardings following tension in the area. We also took the decision keeping in mind that Barawafat is on Thursday. We will look into whether to put up the hoardings again after Barawafat.”

He added that the accused were identified on the basis of video footage collected from sources. “Among those whose photographs were displayed, we have identified a few and the police have obtained NBWs against them. Efforts are on to identify others. We will soon move court to get them declared proclaimed absconders,” Mathur said.

The clash occurred at Darshanpurva locality in Kanpur on October 24 after members of one community allegedly tore a poster of a goddess. The next day, violence spread to Chamanganj and Sisamau areas, where members of two communities clashed and fired at a police team. Two policemen including an SHO suffered bullet injuries.

The SSP added that 47 people have been arrested in the cases and NSA has also been invoked against 10 of them.

Other hoardings taken off Kanpur Police also removed four other hoardings displaying photographs of those allegedly involved in a violent protest on December 18 following a statement issued by Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha working president Kamlesh Tiwari against Prophet Muhammad. An FIR on the protest was filed at Railway Bazaar police station.

Railway Bazaar police station SHO Pradeep Kumar said, “Four hoardings carrying photographs of around 100 people identified through video footage were put up at various locations. All hoardings have been removed now.”

What the hoardings said

The hoardings put up at Fazalganj carried the following message: “Do you recognise any person in the photographs carried here? Those who recognise the photos will be given appropriate reward and his name will be kept secret. Police are looking for these persons in connection with an incident that occurred at Darshanpurva locality in Fazalganj police station area on October 24, 2015. If there is any information on them, please inform on the cellphone numbers given here.” The phone numbers of the Kanpur SSP, Circle Officer of Nazirabad area and SHO of Fazalganj police station were mentioned.