Hayat Zafar Hashmi, a local Muslim leader and identified as the main conspirator behind the violence that erupted in the city’s Parade Chowk area on Friday, has been arrested by the police. He is among the 40 accused named in the FIR in the case.
Several people were injured in stone-pelting and violent clashes in the Beaconganj area of Kanpur on 3rd June 2022. A total of three FIRs have been registered in the case. After Friday namaz, the perpetrators created a ruckus in Kanpur while protesting against BJP leader Nupur Sharma for allegedly committing ‘blasphemy’ against Prophet Mohammad.
The police have asserted that Hashmi incited the people, which led to stone pelting and clashes between two groups that left more than 30, including several police officers, injured. He has been detained and taken in for interrogation.
Hashmi had called for the shutdown of market in protest against Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Islam. He is the president of local Islamic organization called Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Fans Association and his call for a shutdown touched off an ugly spate of violence after the Friday Namaz, on a day when both the Prime Minister and the President of India were in the state.
On 3rd June 2022, after the Friday Namaz, Hayat Zafar Hashmi led people into a protest march in which they forced people to shut down their shops, leading to violence. The mob of violent Muslims pelted stones at the citizens as well as the police force. At least six people were injured in the violence.
Who is Hayat Zafar Hashmi?
According to reports, the mastermind of the Kanpur riots, Hayat Zafar Hashmi, has been involved in various activities for the past few years and has acquired several illegal properties. He runs a ration shop at home under the government quota. Hashmi is alleged to have instigated her sister and mother in a family case, following which the duo immolated outside the Kanpur DM’s office and both of them died in the incident.
It was Hashmi who had gathered the crowd through social media. He is quite active on social media and had provoked people to create nuisance several times in the past. According to the police, he was also a part of violent demonstrations against the CAA and the NRC.