Police zero in on Whatsapp chats in clash probe

KANPUR: Some followers of Muslim activist Zafar Hayat Hashmi, the main accused in the Kanpur violence case, allegedly undermined his call to postpone a bandh, and encouraged associates to delete videos of him asking to shift the protest by a day, according to police officials aware of the matter and transcripts of Whatsapp conversations reviewed by HT. Hashmi, who led a group called Jauhar Association Kanpur Team, was mobilising the population for a protest against controversial remarks by Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

On June 2, he was called to the Anwarganj police station, said ACP Anwargunj Mohd Akmal Khan, and asked to move the bandh from June 3 to 4 because Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind were scheduled to address a meeting 80km from Kanpur on the day of the protest.

At the end of the meeting, according to Khan, Hashmi agreed to postpone the protest to June 5. He also issued an appeal to his followers on video.

But according to the transcripts of Whatsapp conversations, some of Hashmi’s followers allegedly asked supporters to not spread the video appeal asking for the protest to be shifted to June 4. The bandh went ahead.

By afternoon, violence broke out as protesters forced the closure of shops owned by Hindus. At least 30 people, including 10 policemen, were injured and 1,000 people were booked. Hashmi was named as the mastermind of the conspiracy. “Zafar Hayat Hashmi and three aides are the key conspirators behind the violence. It was pre-planned and we are looking if they have links with the Popular Front of India (PFI),” said Vijay Singh Meena, commissioner of police, Kanpur.

Transcripts of conversations showed that Hashmi allegedly operated 141 Whatsapp groups, and the administrator of each of these were part of a coordination group. On June 3, the bandh started taking effect from the morning as many shopkeepers downed shutters.

A senior police officer said the Whatsapp chats clearly establishes a pattern. Hashmi merely completed a formality by deferring the bandh but internally he strongly went for the success of bandh, he said. “We are going through the chats of all the groups,” he said. Hashmi’s wife Zara Hayat said he was being framed by the police and the media. “He was at the house throughout the day, he has done nothing wrong,” she said.

AT LEAST 30 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 10 POLICEMEN, WERE INJURED AND 1,000 PEOPLE WERE BOOKED