UP govt razes house of Prayagraj violence accused; reactions pour in 

New Delhi: A day after razing down homes of two of the accused in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur following violence over recent remarks by former BJP spokespersons on Prophet Muhammad, bulldozers today rolled down in Prayagraj under heavy police presence and started demolishing the home of a politician accused of triggering clashes on Friday.

Visuals shot by news crews showed bulldozers tearing down gates and outer walls of accused Mohammed Javed, a Prayagraj-based politician, who, the police claim, is one of the “masterminds” behind the Friday violence in the city. There was major stone-throwing in at least two Prayagraj localities, and it took the police over five hours to restore peace.

Reactions have started to come in after the action of the authorities.

Following incidents of violence in Prayagraj, Hathras, Firozabad etc after Friday prayers in Uttar Pradesh and the subsequent police crackdown, RLD chief Jayant Choudhary on Sunday attacked the state government over the issue.

Jayant Choudhary said, “The use of bulldozer is not the enforcement of the rule of law. Rather it has become a symbol of state sponsored hooliganism!”

RLD chief’s statement came at a time when a bulldozer was moved to the ‘illegal’ house of Prayagraj violence mastermind Mohammad Javed alias Javed Pump.

Taking action against those involved in the violence, the Uttar Pradesh Police have so far arrested more than 300 persons in the state. Of these, 91 people have been arrested from Prayagraj, 51 from Hathras, 71 from Saharanpur, 34 from Moradabad, 15 from Firozabad, six from Aligarh, 34 from Ambedkar Nagar and two from Jalaun district.

All of them are accused of indulging in stone pelting, disturbing the atmosphere and instigating people. At present, the security arrangements in the violence-hit areas of all these districts are normal and the situation is under control. – INDIA NEWS STREAM with Agencies inputs.