Bareilly violence: UP Police arrest maulana, 7 others

Coming down heavily on protesters in Bareilly following Friday’s violence that erupted after rioters displayed ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters, Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested a maulana and seven others in the matter.

The Police held Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, president of Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), Saturday afternoon along with others and detained 39 protestors for questioning. FIRs have been lodged against over 2,000 unidentified people across five police stations. The unrest that lasted nearly four hours, led to multiple arrests and an intense police crackdown across the city.

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Authorities also seized weapons from the scene, indicating that the violence may have been pre-planned.

In Varanasi, four individuals were arrested for organizing a similar ‘I Love Muhammad’ rally without permission. In the Lotha area of the city, slogans like “Sir Tan Se Juda” (a beheading threat) during a procession led to FIRs against 12 individuals.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, speaking at an event on Saturday, took a strong stance on the issue. “The Maulana forgot who is in power. He thought he could issue threats and paralyze the city. We said, there will be no curfew, only action. We’ll teach them a lesson that future generations will think twice before causing riots,” he said.

According to officials in Bareilly, the disturbance began around 2 PM near the Ala Hazrat Mosque after Friday prayers. A large crowd gathered following an appeal by Khan and attempted to take out a procession. When stopped by the police, some members of the group allegedly pelted stones, leading to chaos in multiple parts of the city, including Novelty Chowk, Azamnagar, District Hospital Road and Shyamganj Market.

In response, the police used force to disperse the crowd, leading to clashes that lasted until 6 PM. DIG Ajay Kumar Sahni confirmed that 90–95 per cent of worshippers offered prayers peacefully and dispersed, but a small group of miscreants initiated violence.

Meanwhile, posters and hoardings displaying ‘I Love Shri Yogi Adityanath’ and ‘I Love Bulldozer’ appeared across the state capital, Lucknow, in what many perceive as a political counter-narrative. In Barabanki, tensions escalated when ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters were allegedly torn down, prompting a heavy police presence to control the situation.

Congress MP Imran Masood also criticized the street protests while affirming his personal devotion to the Prophet. “The love for Muhammad resides in every Muslim’s heart. That doesn’t require a street spectacle. True love is shown by following his principles,” he stated.

Supreme Court advocate Farah Faiz condemned the movement, calling it “cheap publicity.” She emphasized that Prophet Muhammad stood for peace and nation-building, not public disorder. “Such slogans should not violate the Constitution or law and order,” she said, calling for strict legal action.

Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, urged for peace and restraint. “The way to show love for the Prophet is by spreading peace, not by causing harm or confrontation,” he said.

The ‘I Love Muhammad’ controversy began in Kanpur on September 4, during Eid Milad-un-Nabi processions, where banners with the slogan were displayed. Hindu organizations opposed the slogans, calling them provocative. This triggered further mobilizations across cities in Uttar Pradesh and beyond, with Muslim groups taking out similar rallies and Hindu groups responding with slogans like ‘I Love Mahadev’ and ‘I Love Mahakaal.

As tensions escalated, law enforcement agencies have tightened security across sensitive areas to prevent further violence. Officials have appealed to the public to maintain peace and avoid spreading rumors or inflammatory content.

Authorities continue their investigation into the Bareilly violence, with more arrests expected in the coming days.