Bareilly Unrest : UP Cleric Arrested After His ‘I Love Muhammad’ Video Sparks Massive Protest

27th September 2025 at 3:38 PM

1 minute read

Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh witnessed violent clashes on Friday after a proposed demonstration in support of the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign was abruptly called off.

New Delhi : Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh witnessed violent clashes on Friday after a proposed demonstration in support of the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign was abruptly called off, sparking unrest outside a mosque and in several parts of the city. Police have so far registered 11 FIRs, naming more than 2,000 people. Two cases directly name cleric and Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, who has since been arrested, along with several of his party’s office-bearers.

Violence spread near the Dargah-e-Ala Hazrat and the Islamia Ground as protesters attempted to march towards the Islamia Inter College ground. Stone-pelting and vandalism left vehicles and shops damaged, while visuals showed broken glass, scattered footwear and stones littering the streets. Shops in Alamgiriganj, Civil Lines, Bada Bazaar and Bansmandi shut down as panic spread.

This time, after initially placing him under house arrest, police took Tauqeer Raza into custody late at night from Faiz Enclave and shifted him to an undisclosed location. Interrogation is ongoing, and authorities are also examining his and his associates’ mobile phones to investigate their involvement in the violent demonstrations. District Magistrate Avinash Singh said Section 163 of the BNSS, requiring prior written permission for demonstrations, was in force across Bareilly.

A statement from the Uttar Pradesh government described the violence as a well-planned conspiracy to create unrest in western UP and derail the state’s investment push, including the Noida International Trade Show. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued a stern warning: Yesterday in Bareilly, a Maulana forgot who is in power in the state. He thought he could halt the system at will, but we made it clear there would be neither a blockade nor a curfew. The lesson we taught will ensure that future generations think twice before indulging in riots.