Two killed in India protests against Prophet Mohammed comments: Police

Indian police shot dead two demonstrators on Friday during street protests around the country sparked by a ruling party official's remarks about Prophet Mohammed, an officer told AFP Saturday.

“Police were forced to open fire to disperse protesters and bullets hit some of them, resulting in the death of two,” a police officer from the eastern city of Ranchi told AFP, asking for anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to media.

Police in New Delhi said on Thursday they have filed a complaint against a suspended spokeswoman for India’s ruling party for “inciting people on divisive lines” on social media, days after her remarks on Prophet Mohammed led to a diplomatic backlash.

Many Muslim-majority countries have condemned India after Nupur Sharma, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), commented on the prophet’s private life during a recent heated TV debate that Muslims found insulting.