I love Muhammad row: Two more accused arrested after encounter in Bareilly

Bareilly, Oct 1 (IANS) Two more accused involved in the Bareilly violence have been arrested during an encounter, Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya said on Wednesday. He assured that the culprits behind the violence will not be spared and that the investigation is ongoing.

SSP Arya said, “Two accused have been arrested during the encounter. They have been sent for medical treatment. Their names are Idris and Iqbal. Idris has around 20 cases registered against him, including burglary and robbery. Similarly, Iqbal has 17 cases related to robbery and burglary. During the operation, we recovered an anti-raid gun, a revolver, and live cartridges from them.”

He added, “Two mobile phones were also recovered. It has come to light that they were involved in the riots. Another accused, Nadeem, who is already in jail, had connections with them. All of them have criminal records. We suspected the involvement of external forces aiming to disrupt peace in the area. Our Special Investigation Team (SIT) is conducting further inquiries. I want to assure the public that no innocent person will be harassed in this process, but the culprits will be brought to justice.”

The Bareilly riots broke out on September 26, following Friday prayers, when a large group of people took to the streets holding placards and posters reading “I Love Muhammad” while chanting slogans. The crowd was marching towards Islamia Ground and Khalil School Chowk.

Police asked the crowd to disperse when they began chanting "Nara-e-Taqbeer," but the protesters did not comply. Tensions escalated, and the crowd became unruly. Some individuals reportedly started pelting stones at the police, prompting a baton charge by the authorities.

The baton charge led to a stampede-like situation, causing chaos in the vicinity. During the unrest, rioters vandalised at least two motorcycles and targeted a local shop. Following the police intervention, the crowd eventually dispersed, leaving slippers, shoes, and stones scattered across a 200-metre radius near Khalil Tiraha.

On September 27, Tauqeer Raza, a local cleric and chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, was arrested. His support for the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign had sparked unrest in Bareilly. Authorities reported that a large crowd gathered outside his residence after a video he posted backing the campaign went viral. The gathering swelled, raising concerns of further disturbances in the area.

Tauqeer Raza has been placed under 14 days’ judicial custody as officials continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent further flare-ups.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) condemned the arrest of Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan and others following the Bareilly unrest. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Board demanded their immediate release and criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s handling of the situation.

The AIMPLB also condemned statements made by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and accused the police of displaying a vindictive attitude towards peaceful protests held across the state in response to a similar incident in Kanpur, where youths were reportedly booked for displaying ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters.

--IANS

jk/skp