Maulana Tauqeer Raza among 8 arrested for Bareilly violence: ‘Online toolkit’ used to spread his videos, say police

“Planning was done by Raza and was in the works for the last seven days. An online toolkit was being used to spread videos made by Raza, calling people to the ground,” Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajay Kumar Sahni said, adding that the cleric was arrested around 9 am.

Officials said internet service was suspended in the district for 48 hours beginning Saturday.

During the day, police personnel were deployed across the area. At Biharipur Chowki, just across the 200-metre wide road facing the Islamia Inter College, 30 police personnel stood guard with sticks and weapons. On either side of the Chowki, narrow lanes had two to three police personnel stationed at each entrance.

The district saw tensions on Friday after police stopped people carrying ‘I Love Muhammad’ placards from assembling and used force to disperse them when some in the crowd allegedly hurled stones and raised slogans. Police had said some protesters also opened fire.

The protest was allegedly called by Raza after Friday prayers. The crowd came from the side of a nearby mosque and was going to assemble in the Islamia Ground when they were stopped, police said.

DIG Sahni said 31 have been detained and 10 FIRs have been registered. A police officer said Raza has been named as the main accused in at least seven FIRs. The cleric is being shifted to Fatehpur Jail, police said.

Police have also formed an SIT to arrest others from IMC who are on the run and those who allegedly fired shots during the Friday protest.

Meanwhile, shortly after he announced the arrests, DIG Sahni, accompanied by 50-70 police personnel, undertook a 3-km patrol march through the Kotwali area, where ‘I Love Mahadev posters’ were seen hanging from electrical poles and pasted on some shops. Shop owners showered rose petals on the police party.

In a statement Friday, Bareilly Police said that on September 21, the IMC had asked people to gather at the Islamia Ground after the Friday prayers. The administration did not grant permission for this and informed the council, both verbally and in writing.

On Friday, police stopped people and explained the situation to them and most dispersed. “However, some persons, in violation of Section 163 of the BNSS (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger), attempted to move towards Islamia Ground. The police warned them and tried to control the situation, but a few miscreants showed aggression and threw stones at the police. Using minimal force, police dispersed the crowd…,” the police statement said.

District Magistrate Avinash Singh had said, “Authorities had already informed the organisers that due to the imposition of Section 163 BNSS across the district, no public gathering or procession would be allowed without prior permission.”

“Despite the advisory, a few individuals attempted to gather immediately after the Friday prayers and disrupt the atmosphere. Specific locations such as Khalil Tiraha, outside Navmela Masjid, and Shayamat Ganj witnessed some unrest,” he said.

There have been similar protests in other cities after Kanpur police lodged an FIR following tensions during the Barawafat procession to commemorate the birth of the Prophet. Police had said on Friday that the Kanpur FIR was not over the installation of an ‘I love Muhammad’ board, but over an incident in which religious posters were torn.