Curfew imposed in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri over objectionable video – Here are the details

Lakhimpur: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday night imposed a curfew in Lakhimpur Kheri district following tension between two groups over the circulation of an objectionable video.

The video of deities of another religion was made and circulated by two friends, who were later apprehended.

The accused live in a small town near the city. They have been produced in court and sent to judicial custody, officials said.

The violence broke out on Thursday night after the video was posted on social media and curfew was clamped in some parts of the city.

However, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Daljeet Chowdhary today claimed that the situation was now under control. 

Following the surfacing of the video, two communities clashed, resulting in the vandalism of shops in Kharwaranganj and Kucchehri areas. 

Shots were fired thereafter, which left two injured.

According to the officials, the video was shot on Wednesday. The fathers of the accused were detained at the district police station.

Meanwhile, tension gripped the whole city with markets shut and hundreds of people rallying around the district police station demanding the accused boys be handed over to them.

"The boys were arrested and the Magistrate arrived at the police station to take them under judicial custody before the situation could turn ugly... people were pacified somehow; however, the tension still prevails," a police official told IANS.

"District administration is on high alert and police patrolling has been increased to avoid any untoward incident," the District Magistrate added.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate sent the accused to 17 days of judicial custody. 

The district police believe more people could be involved in shooting the video and they are investigating the matter.

According to the district administration, this is the first ever incident of communal tension here.

(With IANS inputs)