Kanpur stone pelters unmasked: UP police releases photos of 40 riot accused

New Delhi: Days after the rioters wreak havoc on Kanpur streets, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday released pictures of 40 riot accused who pelted stones at the police.

The images of the accused were taken through various videos that surfaced on the social media while CCTV footage of the area was also scanned where pelters gathered and engaged in violence. The hoarding showing faces of these 40 accused will be hanged at 6 police stations in Kanpur.

Naming & shaming strategy of the rioters comes as a major step by the UP police towards crackdown on troublemakers. Many people have already been taken into custody and are being investigated by the cops for their alleged role & conspiracy in riots.

UP Police is investigating whether they were any deliberate provocation by any radical group and whether a conspiracy was hatched in advance to create chaos when the Prime Minister visits the state.

Crackdown on rioters, property seizure next

UP government has decided to send across a strong message by identifying and seizing the rioters.

In sensational disclosure, the links of extremist group Popular Front of India (PFI) has again emerged. The cops seized papers related to PFI from the arrested accused.

According to reports, old videos of Kashmir were circulated among a certain community to incite violence and create unrest over alleged blasphemous remarks on Prophet Muhammad.

The UP police’s strategy of naming and shaming the rioters by exposing them before public has come under criticism by various sections, however, the BJP has strongly defended the move.

BJP leader RP Singh lauded Yogi government for acting against the conspirators and said that such strategy is the need of hour.

Earlier also, after the anti-CAA riots, the Yogi government in its first tenure adopted this naming & shaming strategy. However, later some sections took the matter to court and later it had to be taken down.