ShielaPaxton36 at 01:35, 10 October 2025

2025-10-10T01:35:28Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = Kanpur violence
| partof =
| image =
| caption =
|date= 4 June 2022
| place = [[Kanpur]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India
| methods = [[Public demonstration]] and clashes
| status =
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| fatalities =none reported
| injuries = 40+
| arrests = 64 <ref name="Quint">{{cite web | last=Quint | first=The | title=Prophet Row: Bulldozers Demolish Properties of Violence Accused in Kanpur, Saharanpur | website=TheQuint | date=2022-06-11 | url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/kanpur-friday-prayers-violence-nupur-sharma-prophet-row-bulldozers | access-date=2022-06-13}}</ref>
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On June 3, hundreds of Muslims demonstrated after [[Friday prayers]] in [[Kanpur]] against the remarks on [[Muhammad]] made by former BJP spokesperson [[Nupur Sharma (politician)|Nupur Sharma]]. Violence broke out after some Muslim demonstrators threw stones at police.<ref name="HT2022"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Pandey |first=Sanjay |date=3 June 2022 |title=Clashes in Kanpur over 'insult' to Prophet Mohammed during TV debate |publisher=[[Deccan Herald]] |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/religious-body-demands-places-of-worship-act-be-scrapped-1115010.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Blasphemous remarks: Hindu-Muslim clashes erupt in India|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/963709-hindu-muslim-clashes-erupt-in-india|publisher=[[The News International]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kanpur Violence: At Least 40 Injured, Police Register 3 FIRs Against 500 People |url=https://thewire.in/government/violence-breaks-out-in-kanpur-as-police-muslim-protestors-clash |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=The Wire}}</ref>

The violence broke out in Parade, Nai Sadak and Yateemkhana areas of the city on Friday when some people tried to force shopkeepers to close down the shops.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/jun/06/kanpur-violence-ninemore-arrested-hoardings-with-pictures-of-suspects-to-be-put-up-2462404.html|title=Kanpur violence: 38 arrested so far, hoardings with pictures of suspects to be put up|website=The New Indian Express|date=6 June 2022 |access-date=7 June 2022|archive-date=6 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606162933/https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/jun/06/kanpur-violence-ninemore-arrested-hoardings-with-pictures-of-suspects-to-be-put-up-2462404.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/kanpur-violence-five-more-arrested-sent-to-14-day-judicial-custody-sit-formed-for-detailed-probe-10762771.html|title=Kanpur violence: Five more arrested, sent to 14-day judicial custody; SIT formed for detailed probe|date=6 June 2022|website=Firstpost|access-date=7 June 2022|archive-date=6 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606094000/https://www.firstpost.com/india/kanpur-violence-five-more-arrested-sent-to-14-day-judicial-custody-sit-formed-for-detailed-probe-10762771.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Background ==
{{further|2022 BJP Muhammad remarks controversy}}
On 27 May 2022, Sharma participated in a debate on the [[Gyanvapi Mosque]] dispute on the [[Times Now]] television channel, in response to remarks by another speaker she perceived as derogatory to [[Shiva]], she commented upon [[Muhammad]] and the age of one of his wives, [[Aisha]], noting that Aisha was 6-years-old when married, and 9 when the marriage was consummated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-29 |title=BJP's Nupur Sharma booked over remark on Prophet Mohammed |url=https://www.siasat.com/bjps-nupur-sharma-booked-over-remark-on-prophet-mohammed-2336654/ |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=The Siasat Daily |language=en-US |archive-date=7 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607071829/https://www.siasat.com/bjps-nupur-sharma-booked-over-remark-on-prophet-mohammed-2336654/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Violence==

The Muslim community had announced the closure of shops after [[Friday prayer]] over the remarks on the Prophet. From Thursday, an appeal was being made to close the shops by putting up posters in the area. Police officers and other officers reached the spot soon after the incident, tried to control the incident by using necessary force.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Srivastava |first1=Ashish |last2=Sharma |first2=Santosh Kumar |last3=Chawla |first3=Simer |date=4 June 2022 |title=Kanpur violence key accused detained; BJP decries 'pre-planned conspiracy' |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kanpur-violence-clashes-anti-caa-protestor-pre-planned-conspiracy-hayat-zafar-hashmi-1958287-2022-06-04 |website=India Today}}
</ref>

Hayat Zafar Hashmi, chief of Maulana Mohammed Ali (MMA) Jauhar Fans Association called for a bandh (shutdown) of local shops in protest of comments from Sharma. They also planned to take out a procession and called to shut down shops at parade market during which they confronted with the members of other community as a result of which clashes broke out.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 June 2022|first=Simer |last=Chawla |title=Stone pelting in Kanpur amid calls to shut shops over BJP leader's remark, 2 injured |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/stone-pelting-kanpur-amid-calls-to-shut-shops-over-bjp-leader-nupur-sharma-remark-1957995-2022-06-03 |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Riots in Kanpur over blasphemy during TV debate, 18 arrested |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/page1/riots-in-kanpur-over-blasphemy-during-tv-debate--18-arrested.html |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=The Pioneer |language=en}}</ref>

Other incidents of violence included damages to several vehicles. Unconfirmed reports suggested some protesters threw crude bombs at the law enforcement officials.<ref name="HT2022"/>

The clashes occurred at Nai Sadak, Yateemkana and Parade area of Kanpur.<ref name="Kanpur FIR">{{cite news |title=Kanpur Violence: Police Register 3 FIRs Against 1,000 Unknown Persons; All 55 Named Accused Muslim |url=https://thewire.in/law/kanpur-violence-police-register-3-firs-against-55-people-1000-unknown-person-named-as-accused |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=The Wire |date=4 June 2022}}</ref> Protesters pelted stones, fired shots, and lobbed petrol bombs at law enforcement officials who in return used batons to control the mob.<ref name="HindustanTimes">{{cite web |last1=Naqvi |first1=Haidar |last2=Chitre |first2=Manjiri Sachin |date=2022-06-07 |editor-last=Goswami |editor-first=Sohini |title=In Kanpur violence, 12 more held, minor surrenders at police station as posters surface |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kanpur-violence-12-more-held-minor-surrenders-at-police-station-101654582267832.html |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

==Aftermath==

After the violence, few shops remained open in the Muslim-dominated areas such as Becon Ganj, Yatim Khana and Nai Sarak.<ref name="ThePrint"/>

On 4 June, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister [[Yogi Adityanath]] talked with enforcement officials via video conference and directed the officials to take strict action against those responsible for the violence. He also asked for increased deployment of police force in affected areas and regular patrolling in the sensitive areas of the district.<ref name="HT2022">{{cite web | title=Kanpur violence: 36 arrested, 3 FIRs filed, property to be bulldozed, say cops | website=Hindustan Times | date=2022-06-04 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kanpur-violence-36-arrested-property-will-be-demolished-says-top-cop-report-101654317134374.html | access-date=2022-06-07}}</ref>

[[Rashtriya Lok Dal]] condemned the violence and prompted for peace.<ref name="HT2022"/>

On 5 June, flag marches were held in the affected areas of the city, and companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed.<ref name="ThePrint"/>

Lucknow police were holding peace meetings with Muslim groups in Kanpur.<ref name="ThePrint"/>

BJP leader [[Mohsin Raza]] said the violence was pre-planned to coincide with Indian Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]]'s visit to the region.<ref name=":0" />

[[Editors Guild of India]] blamed some news channels for intentionally "creating circumstances that target vulnerable communities by spewing hatred towards them and their beliefs".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/jun/08/pause-take-a-critical-look-at-what-you-have-done-egi-to-news-channels-on-kanpur-violence-2463255.html | title='Pause, take a critical look at what you have done': EGI to news channels on Kanpur violence | date=8 June 2022 }}</ref>

==Investigation==

Initially, the Uttar Pradesh Police Saturday booked 500 people over the charges of rioting and arrested 18.<ref name="Kanpur FIR"/><ref name="HindustanTimes"/>

The city police commissioner constituted a [[Special Investigation Team (India)|SIT]] for detailed investigation in connection with rioting and violence in Kanpur's Parade area. FIRs was lodged in the case in which 40 people have been charged with rioting and 1,000 others have been mentioned as unidentified.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kanpur-violence-over-800-booked-24-held-cops-looking-into-possible-pfi-link/article65493570.ece|title=Kanpur violence | Main accused arrested, PFI links to be probed|first=Anuj|last=Kumar|newspaper=The Hindu |date=4 June 2022|via=www.thehindu.com|access-date=7 June 2022|archive-date=6 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606135218/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kanpur-violence-over-800-booked-24-held-cops-looking-into-possible-pfi-link/article65493570.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The Uttar Pradesh Police on June 4 arrested the main accused Hayat Zafar Hashmi and three others were also arrested from the Hazaratganj police station area of Lucknow. The police have also found documents of four organizations like [[All India Congress Committee|AICC]], [[Social Democratic Party of India|SDPI]], [[Campus Front of India|CFI]] and RIF have been found with Hashmi.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Faiz Rahman |date=5 June 2022 |title=Kanpur violence: SIT formed for detailed investigation; documents related to PFI found from main accused Hayat Zafar Hashmi | Kanpur News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/kanpur-violence-sit-formed-for-detailed-investigation-documents-related-to-pfi-found-from-main-accused-hayat-zafar-hashmi/articleshow/92017891.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605104018/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/kanpur-violence-sit-formed-for-detailed-investigation-documents-related-to-pfi-found-from-main-accused-hayat-zafar-hashmi/articleshow/92017891.cms |archive-date=5 June 2022 |access-date=7 June 2022 |website=The Times of India}}</ref>

The Kanpur Police has identified local Muslim leader Hayat Zafar Hashmi, national president of the Maulana Muhammad Jauhar Ali Fans Association, as the main conspirator behind the violence that erupted in the city, he was arrested from [[Lucknow]].<ref name="HT2022"/> It is alleged that Hashmi incited the people, which led to stone pelting and clashes between two groups. In the past, Hashmi was also allegedly involved in violent demonstrations against the proposed [[Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019|CAA]] and the [[National Register of Citizens|NRC]] in Kanpur.<ref name=":0" />Police were also investigating the links between protestors and the Islamic outfit [[Popular Front of India]] (PFI).<ref name="ThePrint">{{cite web |last=Salaria |first=Shikha |date=2022-06-05 |title=Kanpur violence: 24 arrested so far, Sufi outfit alleges links with Islamic group PFI |url=https://theprint.in/india/kanpur-violence-24-arrested-so-far-sufi-outfit-alleges-links-with-islamic-group-pfi/984236/ |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=ThePrint}}</ref> Evidence of foreign funding through transactions in bank accounts of the accused have been also discovered.<ref>{{cite web |last=Singh |first=Vishal Pratap |date=8 June 2022 |title=कानपुर हिंसा में विदेशी फंडिंग का इस्तेमाल? इस खुलासे ने उड़ाए पुलिस के होश |url=https://www.indiatv.in/india/uttar-pradesh/kanpur-violence-ignited-by-foreign-funding-transactions-worth-crores-were-done-in-bank-accounts-2022-06-08-856205}}</ref>

On 4 June, Kanpur police commissioner Vijay Singh Meena said that the gangster act will be imposed on the accused.<ref name="ThePrint"/>

On 5 June, a curfew has been imposed in [[Bareilly]] till 3 July after a Muslim cleric Tauqir Raza announced large protests for 10 June.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/kanpur-violence-curfew-imposed-in-bareilly-till-3-july-cleric-tauqir-raza-calls-for-protest-on-10-june-10760571.html | title=Kanpur violence: Curfew imposed in Bareilly till 3 July; cleric Tauqir Raza calls for protest on 10 June | date=5 June 2022 }}</ref>

As of 7 June, about 50 were arrested.<ref name="ABPlive">{{cite web |date=2022-06-07 |title=कानपुर हिंसा मामले में अबतक 50 आरोपी गिरफ्तार, प्रिंटिंग प्रेस के मालिक को हिरासत में लिया गया |url=https://www.abplive.com/states/up-uk/kanpur-violence-50-accused-arrested-so-far-in-kanpur-violence-case-2140806 |website=ABP News |language=hi}}</ref>

The FIR has been registered against three individuals who operated Twitter handles such as 'Duggalsahab15', 'shivaisrael' and 'AkhandBharat', and two Facebook account holders Abu Zaid and Kaushal Patel.<ref name=":1">{{cite web | url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2022/06/08/days-after-kanpur-violence-bjp-leader-arrested-for-prophet-comments.html | title=Days after Kanpur violence, BJP leader arrested for Prophet comments | website=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]] }}</ref>

A petrol pump situated nearby the Deputy Padav was sealed crossing on 7 June after a CCTV footage showed people taking fuel in bottles prior to violence.<ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanpur violence, 2022}}
[[Category:2022 riots]]
[[Category:2020s in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:2022 crimes in India]]
[[Category:Islam in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Religious riots in India]]
[[Category:June 2022 in India]]
[[Category:June 2022 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in 2022]]
[[Category:Improvised explosive device bombings in India]]
[[Category:Stone pelting in India]]
[[Category:General strikes in India]]
[[Category:2022 labor disputes and strikes]]
[[Category:Arson in India]]
[[Category:Arson in 2022]]
[[Category:2022 fires in Asia]]
[[Category:History of Islam in India]]
[[Category:Riots and civil disorder in Uttar Pradesh]]

2022 Kanpur violence - Revision history

ShielaPaxton36 at 01:35, 10 October 2025