Man detained in UP for holding ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters during Friday prayers in Saharanpur
Saharanpur: A man was detained by police outside a mosque in Saharanpur on Friday for displaying posters that read "I Love Muhammad", amid a growing crackdown on the campaign across various states.
According to reports citing Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ashish Tiwari, the man was taken into custody immediately after he was seen holding two such posters during Friday prayers. Authorities have also begun scrutinizing his social media activity as part of the investigation.
SSP Tiwari stated that extensive foot patrols were deployed to maintain law and order and to assure the public of their safety. Coordination meetings with religious leaders were also held in anticipation of Friday prayers. Approximately 1,500 police personnel were stationed at sensitive and high-traffic areas across Saharanpur.
The incident comes amid a nationwide crackdown on the “I Love Muhammad” campaign, which began after banners bearing the slogan were displayed during Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi processions. The civil rights collective Association for Protection of Civil Rights reported that at least 1,324 Muslims have been booked in 21 cases, and 38 people arrested across the country in connection with the campaign.
In a related incident in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, police used tear gas and lathi-charge to disperse a protest led by Maulana Tauqeer. Protesters had gathered post-Friday prayers to demand the withdrawal of FIRs filed against those displaying the “I Love Muhammad” banners in Kanpur. The situation escalated when stone-pelting broke out, prompting intervention from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).
The controversy started on September 4, when a group in Kanpur displayed a “I Love Muhammad” banner during a religious procession. Hindu groups objected to what they described as the introduction of a “new tradition,” leading to tension. On September 9, police registered cases against 24 individuals, identifying 15 of them for allegedly disturbing communal harmony and introducing new customs.
Police claimed the FIRs were not for the posters themselves but for placing them in previously unused locations and allegedly tearing down other groups' posters.
The police action in Uttar Pradesh sparked similar protests and processions in other districts and states. In Uttarakhand’s Kashipur, one FIR named 401 individuals, with seven arrests made.
Protests have also been held in Karnataka, where eight people were arrested in Davanagere, and in Lucknow, where women demonstrated outside the Vidhan Bhavan demanding the withdrawal of related FIRs.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
