Ballia (UP), Jul 18 (IANS): Seven persons have been arrested by the Ballia police for attacking the family members of a girl who lodged an FIR against one Mahtab Alam for sharing her photo on Facebook. The main accused has not yet been arrested.

According to reports, Mahtab Alam and his armed accomplices attacked the girl's family of another religion on Thursday night, following which tension prevailed in Uttartola area.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ballia Sanjay Kumar said, "Police teams have been set up to arrest Mahtab and some other accused persons who are still absconding. Police and PAC has been deployed in Uttartola as a precautionary measure to avoid further escalation of tension."

According to the complaint submitted by a girl in Revati police station area, Mahtab had uploaded her photos on his Facebook account.

The Revati police lodged an FIR against Mahtab and his accomplices on Thursday.

When Mahtab learnt about the FIR, he and his accomplices raided the girl's house and thrashed her family members.

As many as 10 family members and neighbours of the girl suffered serious injuries in the attack.

On hearing their screams, local people rushed towards the girl's house but the assailants managed to escape

After the incident, several police and district officials reached the village and a heavy deployment of police was made in the area.

The ASP said that an FIR against Mahtab and 17 other identified and five unidentified persons has been lodged under sections 147, 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 452 (house trespass), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354 (assault to any woman), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), 427 (committing mischief and thereby causes loss or damage), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by means of any instrument for shooting), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 7 Criminal Law (Amendment) Act.

"The situation is almost normal in Uttartola but as a precautionary measure police and PAC have been deployed," he added.