Cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan detained after Bareilly protest over ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign
Bareilly: Police on Saturday detained cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, a day after his call for a protest in support of the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign led to clashes in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.
Bareilly SSP Anurag Arya confirmed the detention, stating that the situation was “peaceful and under control.”
The violence erupted Friday outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers, when a crowd carrying ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters clashed with police. Protesters were reportedly angered by the cancellation of a demonstration earlier announced by Raza, who claimed authorities had denied permission. The clashes involved stone-pelting and vandalism, resulting in over two dozen arrests.
In a video statement released later, Raza alleged he had been placed under house arrest and accused police of deliberately targeting Muslims. He expressed regret at not being able to submit a memorandum to the President of India through the district magistrate and warned that attempts to suppress the issue would only intensify protests.
District officials, however, described the violence as a “planned conspiracy” to disturb peace, pointing out that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were in force and permission for the march had been denied.
The ‘I Love Muhammad’ controversy, which began earlier this month in Kanpur after police booked 24 people for displaying banners with the slogan during Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, has since spread to multiple districts across Uttar Pradesh as well as to states like Uttarakhand and Karnataka. Hindu groups have objected to the banners, calling them provocative.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has also weighed in, saying that “expressing love for the Prophet is not a crime.”
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Man abducted, assaulted, forced to drink urine in Ajmer; nine arrested
Jaipur (PTI): Nine persons, including a woman, have been arrested for allegedly abducting a man and subjecting him to torture in Rajasthan's Ajmer district, police said on Sunday.
The incident took place on Saturday in Gagwana village under the Gegal police station area and was allegedly linked to an ongoing dispute, they said.
According to police, a marriage between a woman and a man from Beer village, had ended in divorce following which she had been living at her parental home. About five months ago, the victim, identified as Jeetu (21), married the woman.
The woman's former in-laws allegedly objected to this marriage, claiming that the issue had not been settled in accordance with community norms, and that the dispute had been ongoing.
Following this, Jeetu was allegedly abducted on Saturday, held captive, and assaulted by the woman's former in-law's. He was allegedly forced to wear a garland of shoes and slippers and made to drink urine, police said.
A video of the incident later surfaced on social media, triggering outrage in the area.
Following the circulation of the video, Jeetu's family staged a protest at the Gegal police station, alleging delay in police action.
Rural Circle Officer Ramchandra Chaudhary reached the spot and assured the family of prompt action. A case was registered on Saturday evening and teams were formed to trace the accused.
Superintendent of Police Harshvardhan Agarwala said nine accused, including a woman, have been arrested and the vehicles used in the crime seized.
Efforts are underway to apprehend the other absconding accused, police said.
