Kanpur violence: Expelled Samajwadi Party member Nizam Qureshi arrested for involvement in planning of clash on 3 June

Former Samajwadi Party (SP) member Nizam Qureshi has been arrested on Saturday in connection with his alleged involvement in Kanpur violence that erupted in the Uttar Pradesh city on 3 June. Qureshi, who was an ex-Kanpur secretary for Samajwadi Party, was arrested by Becongunj police for his involvement in the initial planning of the violence in Kanpur using social media. As per reports, a couple of days before the Kanpur violence, Qureshi on 3 June allegedly organised a secret meeting where the decision was taken to shut down shops in Kanpur. Qureshi was named in the FIR by the Kanpur police filed in the violence case that took place on 3 June. A report by India Today said that Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested Qureshi as he was trying to flee to another state. Qureshi was suspended by Samajwadi Party’s district president 10 days back for being inactive in party activities. Meanwhile, a report by Republic TV said that the SP had issued a clarification letter, mentioning that Qureshi was expelled from the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwad Party 15 days prior to the Kanpur violence. On Friday (10 June), the key conspirator Zafar Hayat Hashmi’s police custody was extended by two days. During the hearing, Police alleged Hashmi’s links with the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). For the unversed, on 3 June, immediately after the Friday namaz was over, there was slogan-mongering and stone-pelting in the neighbourhood and on the police personnel, leading to panic and chaos. Violence erupted between members of two communities over attempts to shut shops in protest against controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.