Bareilly: Bareilly witnessed protests on Friday afternoon after the conclusion of Juma prayers, with hundreds of people from the Muslim community taking to the streets carrying posters and banners reading “I Love Mohammad.” Demonstrations were reported from several parts of the city, and the situation turned tense near Khalil School where miscreants resorted to vandalism.
Police intervened to control the situation and used batons to disperse the crowd. Authorities also placed Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan under house arrest. DIG Bareilly Range Ajay Kumar Sahni said the prayers were held peacefully but some elements attempted to disrupt the atmosphere and were chased away.
The first signs of unrest surfaced in Shyamganj when police tried to stop a group of protesters.
A heated exchange took place between the crowd and SP Crime, but the protesters continued marching with slogans. Police later closed shops in the area as a precaution. Outside the Naumahalla mosque too, a large gathering raised slogans.
Tension escalated when protesters near Khalil School damaged vehicles. Despite attempts by the police to pacify them, the crowd refused to disperse. The baton charge triggered chaos, leading to a brief stampede-like situation.
The city had been on high alert since Thursday evening following Maulana Tauqeer Raza’s announcement that a memorandum would be submitted to the President through the District Magistrate on the “I Love Mohammad” issue. He had appealed to his followers to join the protest peacefully.
By Friday morning, Islamia Ground and Bihari Pur were turned into virtual fortresses with heavy police deployment and barricading along Shyamganj Mandi Road.