Two accused namely Mohd Faheem Khan and Nisar Ahmad were on Sunday arrested by Delhi Police pertaining to holding posters, raising slogans and hooting against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal during an unlawful assembly at Jama Masjid in Delhi on June 10.
Police are also scanning CCTV and mobile footage recorded by the public in the area to identify more culprits, according to news agency PTI.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shweta Chauhan said, "On June 10, an FIR was registered in Jama Masjid police station against the protesters under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code as a protest was held in Jama Masjid area after Friday prayers without any permission. Also, section 153A IPC has been added for promoting communal disharmony in the area." Investigation is on to identify other persons involved, she said.
"We are scanning through footage of multiple CCTVs installed across the protest site and also looking through mobile footage recorded by the public to identify more culprits, if any, so that they can be nabbed," the officer said.
According to police, after the Friday prayers, a large crowd of people had gathered on the steps of the famous mosque, carrying placards and shouting slogans against Sharma and Naveen Jindal, former head of the Delhi BJP's media unit, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Prophet.
"Around 1,500 people had gathered at the mosque for Friday prayers. When the prayers ended peacefully, some people came outside, started showing placards and shouted slogans. Some others also joined them later and the numbers went up to around 300," the DCP had said.
The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, had distanced himself from the protest, saying "nobody knows who the protesters were" and demanded action against such people.
The row over the remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated last week with protests from many Muslim countres, prompting the BJP to suspend Sharma and expel Jindal as the party asserted that it respects all religions.
(with agency inputs)
