Prophet row: Nupur Sharma seeks time from Kolkata Police to appear for questioning

Kolkata, June 20 (IANS) Suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma on Monday sought four week's time to appear before the Kolkata Police in connection with her recent controversial comments on Prophet Muhammad.

Sharma, who was supposed to be present at Narkeldanga Police station in Kolkata on Monday, emailed the request.

The city police are yet to decide over their next course of action.

On June 13, Kolkata Police issued summons to Nupur Sharma under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, asking her to be present at Narkeldanga Police under Eastern Suburban Division of Kolkata police on June 20.

The notice was mailed to her and a hardcopy of the same was the sent to her by registered speed post. A senior official of the city police said that Sharma was silent for so many days and this morning, the city police received her mail expressing her inability to appear and seeking four weeks for the same.

It is leant that a resident of Narkeldanga area in the norther neighbourhood of Kolkata had filed a complaint in the local police station against Nupur Sharma, alleging that the latter's controversial comments about Prophet Muhammad had provoked tension in different pockets in the state as well in the entire country. The city police summoned Sharma on the basis of that complaint.

Soon after Sharma's controversial comments went viral, there were severe tension in several minority- dominated pockets in West Bengal in certain districts like Kolkata- adjacent Howrah, Murshidabad and Nadia.

Clashes erupted between the agitators and police in which Domjur police station in Howrah district was attacked, police vehicles were torched and several police personnel were injured. Internet services were suspended in several areas.

Following countrywide tension over the controversial comments, BJP suspended her from the party. The BJP also suspended another leader Naveen Jindal who shared her comments on Twitter.