Two Killed in Violent Protests That Shook India Amid Prophet Mohammad Remarks Scandal

On 26 May, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespeople Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal made provocative remarks about the Quran and Mohammad, sparking public outrage in India. Although they were suspended from the BJP party, several Islamic states - such as Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran - have summoned their Indian envoys and issued a stern message.

Two people were killed and several others, including security personnel, critically injured as violent protests rocked Ranchi city in India's Jharkhand state over comments made by two suspended BJP spokespeople - Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal - about the Prophet Mohammad and the Quran, officials said on Saturday.

The protesters have been demanding that Sharma and Jindal be arrested for their remarks.

Two people Killed during the violent protest erupted in India against the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made by suspended BJP leaders

© Photo : Twitter

According to the autopsies, the two fatalaties died from gunshot wounds and 13 people have been critically injured and are being treated at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

"Two of them died late last night. Three people are in a serious condition and they are battling for their life. The injured include CRPF personnel and policemen," an official from the RIMS said, adding that the two deaths were caused by bullet wounds.

Ranchi's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Surendra Kumar Jha, was admitted to hospital with injuries on his head and other parts of his body from stones which had been thrown at him, officials said.

Police has killed one and injured 12 Muslim protesters in Ranchi, India. Police fired at protesting Muslims being prompted by majoritarian crowd. pic.twitter.com/YfwSTHLUiK

— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) June 10, 2022

After Friday's mid-day prayer or Jummah Namaz, scores of people from the Muslim community congregated to stage protests in different parts of the states of Delhi, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, and in cities such as Kolkata (West Bengal), Hyderabad (Telangana) and Ranchi (Jharkhand).

Police in Ranchi and several other states of India had to resort to baton charges to disperse the crowd and control the situation.

Watch Hindutva radicalized cops in Ranchi brutally assault Muslims who were peacefully protesting against the Indian government’s denigration of the Prophet Muhammad. pic.twitter.com/gU5K1WqpYJ

— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) June 11, 2022

Although the situation in Ranchi and other states is under control and is being monitored, the internet has also been suspended in the district.

Some Hindutva outfits called for Ranchi to be shut down on Saturday, asking traders to keep their shops shut in protest against the violence.

"We have called for a peaceful Ranchi bandh [shutdown] today against yesterday's incident. All Hindu religious organisations such as Vishva Hindu Parishad, Hindu Jagaran Manch and others have extended their support for the bandh call," Mahavir Mandal president Ashok Purohit told Indian news agency PTI.

Condemning the violence, Governor Ramesh Bais asked Jharkhand state chief Hemant Soren to take strict action against the protestors.