Moradabad journalist arrested at protest against BJP's Nupur Sharma

In the wake of protests against now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's remarks against Prophet Muhammad, the Uttar Pradesh police have arrested a journalist in Moradabad.

Faizan Qureshi, 30, a local journalist, was arrested as he was covering the protests on Monday, Aaj Tak reported.

According to the UP police, they have arrested 40 people in Moradabad after lodging an FIR against protesters at the Mughalpura police station.

The FIR, accessed by Newslaundry, names 10 men – all Muslim – and 80 unknown people as accused under penal law as well as a provision of the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act 2015 which punishes “use of child by militant groups or other adults”.

Faizan is not named in the FIR, filed by a police officer named Jai Dev Singh, which states that after the Friday prayers on June 10, about 80 people gathered at the Jama Masjid Chowk in Moradabad and began shouting slogans against Nupur. The police tried to disperse them but the protesters grew violent and tried to assault the officers with the intent to kill them.

The UP police have arrested 357 people since June 10 over the protests, including 97 in Prayagraj and 85 in Saharanpur.