Bareilly: Maulana Tauqeer Raza Arrested as Police File 10 FIRs Against Hundreds in ‘I Love Muhammad’ Campaign

Bareilly: Prominent Muslim scholar Maulana Tauqeer Raza was arrested by Bareilly police on Saturday, a day after being placed under house arrest along with several others. His detention, along with seven more arrests, comes as part of a district-wide crackdown linked to the ongoing ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign.

Mass FIRs Across the District

Police confirmed that 10 separate FIRs have been registered in different police stations, each naming between 150 to 200 Muslims. Collectively, the cases implicate hundreds of individuals under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023.

The sections invoked include:

• 191(2): Promoting enmity between groups
• 61(2): Unlawful assembly with intent to disturb peace
• 49: Disobedience of official orders
• 223 & 221: Obstructing public servants
• 121 & 132: Waging war or attempting to wage war against the state
• 324(3): Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons
• 352 & 351(2): Assault or criminal force to deter a public servant

SSP Anurag Arya defended the action, saying the charges were necessary to “maintain law and order.”

Community Leaders Criticise Crackdown

Rights groups and community representatives, however, denounced the arrests as an attempt to intimidate Muslims and silence dissent. They argued that peaceful gatherings are being treated as criminal offences, creating an atmosphere of fear.

Tensions Remain High

Bareilly has witnessed heightened tensions in recent days, with large gatherings despite prohibitory orders. Police forces remain heavily deployed across sensitive areas of the city to prevent further escalation.