Children used in communal riots: Child rights body demands probe by NIA

New Delhi, Jun 18: Child rights body, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Saturday urged governments of states that witnessed "communal protests" over remarks made by two now-sacked BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad to recommend a national Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the use of children in the violence.

The use of children in last week's violence may have been coordinated by dubious organisations, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Priyank Kanoongo alleged in a tweet in Hindi, news agency PTI reported.

The NCPCR has urged the state governments to recommend to the Centre a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the matter, he said.

On June 10, protests erupted in several parts of the country, including outside Delhi's Jama Masjid, with hundreds of people demanding the arrest of now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and the party's former Delhi unit media chief Naveen Jindal over their controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

Earlier, Kanpur witnessed communal violence over the issue which left at least 40 people, including 20 police personnel, injured.

(PTI)