Followers of an Islamic cleric stoned a BEST bus in Mumbai on Monday following his arrest for hate speech. Five people were arrested for the violence. The Mumbai Police on Monday registered an FIR against the 5 persons. The violence was over the detention of Mufti Salman Azhari.
The accused were among his followers who gathered outside Mumbai’s Ghatkoper police station after the cleric was detained on Sunday night. Around 3,000 followers gathered and blocked roads and pelted stones at a bus.
A police officer said 16 people are named as accused in addition to other unidentified persons, CCTV identification is underway. Among other charges, an FIR was registered for obstructing public servants from performing their duty, a police officer said.
The crowd gathered after Azhari was detained from his residence at Vikroli by Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and brought to the Ghatkoper Police Station. By 11pm, a massive crowd gathered outside the police station. Despite police warnings, the gathering refused to disperse, and police asked Azhari to speak on a microphone and make an announcement to his followers. He addressed his followers and said, “Neither am I a criminal, nor have I been brought here for committing a crime. They are doing the required investigation, and I am cooperating with them. I am ready to be arrested if it is in my destiny. I would request you to cooperate with them too and not gather here.”
Following his announcement, some dispersed but a few remained, blocking bus movement on the road and started to pelt stones at vehicles. A team of police had to launch a lathi charge to control the crowd.
Azhari was produced before a night court that gave the Gujarat Police transit remand for two days to take him to Gujarat. The religious leader had FIRs registered against him in the past including one in Mumbai.
