12 MORE ARRESTED, 16-YR-OLD BOY SURRENDERS BEFORE COPS

KANPUR : At least 12 more people were arrested in connection with the violence that broke out in Kanpur on June 3, taking the total number of people held so far to 50 while a 16-year-old boy surrendered before the police on Tuesday after his picture featured on the poster of 40 suspects allegedly involved in the clash.

The poster released by the Kanpur police on Monday was put up at prominent places in and around the area where the violence had erupted.

The boy’s picture appeared at two places on the poster — on slot no 13 and 31 – among the 40 pictures. The boy, a resident of Ghammu Khan ka Hata in Colonelgunj police area of Kanpur, had been sent to the child protection home in the city, said Anand Prakash Tiwari, Joint commissioner of police.

Some of the family members accompanied the boy to the police station, said his mother. “My other son and son-in-law, who were in custody for two days, have been released,” she said. The woman alleged that they were picked by the cops to build pressure on the 16-year-old boy to surrender.

The boy was seen in one of the video footages of stone pelting at the police on Nai Sarak on Friday. His picture matched with his social media profile on Facebook, after which the police conducted two raids at his house, said police.

Meanwhile, the police booked eight social media users (Facebook and Twitter users) for allegedly spreading fake and provocative content about the June 3 violence here. On Monday, 15 such users were booked and a case was registered with the Kotwali police under Sections 505, 507 of the IPC and Section 66 of the IT Act.

Shahar Qazi of Deobandi faction Qari Abdus Quddus Hadi said there was anger among the people over police action after the incident. “Agar bulldozer chala…hum kafan bandh kar sadak par utrenge (if the bulldozer was allowed to run, it would be a do-or-die situation for us),” he said.