Heavy security, constant police patrols, and flag marches have become the norm in Bareilly. This follows the arrest of 39 individuals, including local cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, during overnight raids connected to recent violence stemming from an ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign protest.
Following the cleric’s arrest on Saturday, authorities in nearby districts were immediately placed on high alert.
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The arrest of Raza came after a day of intense tension in Bareilly. A large gathering, displaying ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters, had confronted police outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers. Reports indicate the crowd’s anger stemmed from the cancellation of a planned demonstration, which Raza, the founder of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, stated had been denied permission by authorities.
Officials confirmed that ten separate cases have been registered against 180 identified individuals and 2,500 unidentified “rioters,” including Raza. These charges span incitement to violence, vandalism, rioting, stone-pelting, and offending religious sentiments, filed across several police stations like Kotwali, Premnagar, Baradari, Cantt, and Quila.
Throughout the night, house-to-house raids were conducted to apprehend those responsible, officials added.
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Starting Sunday, administrations in neighboring districts such as Rampur, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Moradabad, Badaun, Sambhal, Bijnor, Amroha, and Fatehgarh were placed on high alert.
This measure was taken due to reports that these areas are home to a significant number of Raza’s followers.
Bareilly itself remains under a virtual lockdown; internet services have been suspended for 48 hours, and the sensitive Dargah-e-Ala Hazrat area has been transformed into a security stronghold.
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Top officials, including ADG Ramit Sharma, Divisional Commissioner Bhupendra S. Chaudhary, DIG Ajay Sahni, DM Avinash Singh, SSP Anurag Arya, SP City Manush Pareek, and SP South Anshika Verma, personally toured the sensitive zones on Sunday to supervise law and order and assess security measures.
Officials confirmed that specialized police teams are actively working to apprehend the remaining individuals involved in the clashes.
On Saturday night, SP City Manush Pareek spearheaded a targeted operation to arrest those implicated in stone-pelting and firing. Intensive interrogations of the detained are currently underway, authorities stated.
Police are maintaining full vigilance against any potential developments, they added.
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This extensive crackdown comes after a stern warning from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who vowed severe consequences for anyone inciting violence in the name of faith.
During a press conference on Saturday, District Magistrate Avinash Singh, alongside Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya, announced, “Maulana Tauqeer Raza, identified as the primary instigator of the Bareilly unrest, has been arrested along with seven others. They have been presented in court and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.”
Police identified the seven other accused as Sarfaraz, Manifuddin, Azeem Ahmed, Mohammed Sharif, Mohammed Aamir, Rehan, and Mohammad Sarfaraz.
Arya further stated, “Police apprehended 39 rioters between Friday night and Saturday.”
Raza and his seven co-accused appeared in court on Saturday, where they were remanded to 14-day judicial custody. Raza has since been transferred to Fatehgarh Central Jail.