As protests demanding the arrest of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma erupted across India, shocking imagery of Sharma’s effigy found hanging on the overhead cable wires near a dargah on Fort Road in Karnataka’s Belagavi emerged on Friday morning. After the police took notice of the hanging effigy at the break of dawn, it was subsequently brought down with the help of the municipal corporation, the Deccan Herald reported.
According to other reports, the suspended effigy, which bore semblance to public execution, caused public outrage in the city. After the incident, the situation in the communally sensitive city has remained calm, the DH reported.
Several protests were held across several parts of India including Delhi’s Jama Masjid where hundreds of protesters gathered to express their anger and demanded the arrest of Sharma and expelled Delhi BJP leader Naveen Jindal. While the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid stated that there were no official calls given for the protest, the Delhi Police said that they were already initiating action against the protesters for holding the protests without any permission. Meanwhile, protesters took to the streets in Punjab after a protest call by Ludhiana Jama Masjid Imam. The Imam demanded the arrest of anyone who was involved in disrespecting the Prophet.
Meanwhile, UP’s Saharanpur and Prayagraj remained tense after reports of violence surfaced. In Saharanpur, the police had to use force in order to disperse the protesters while the Additional Directorate General’s car was left damaged as he was on ground to bring law and order in control, according to news agency ANI. Angry protesters took to the streets outside Hyderabad’s Mecca Masjid. Additional police forces and Central Reserve Police Force were deployed to bring the situation under control, reported news agency ANI.
Sharma has been provided with security cover from the Delhi Police after she received repeated death and rape threats. An FIR has been lodged by the Delhi Police against Sharma, while the Maharashtra police have summoned the suspended leader after the Mumbra police in Thane district had filed an FIR.