Violence broke out in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly on Friday following a protest rally organized in support of the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign. The protest, held outside a local mosque after Friday prayers, was called by Maulana Tauqeer Raza, prominent cleric and chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council. Tensions snowballed quickly as clashes erupted between demonstrators and police personnel, creating panic among residents in the area.
According to, a local social worker who spoke to FoEJ Media, the unrest began after Maulana Tauqeer Raza issued a public call in support of the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign nearly a week earlier. Authorities reportedly denied permission for the gathering. The Ittehad-e-Millat Council on Thursday, released a letter stating that the protest had been cancelled.
However, on Friday morning, Maulana Tauqeer Raza released a video message refuting the earlier announcement, claiming the letter had not been issued by the Ittehad-e-Millat Council. He stated that a peaceful protest would still be held following Jumma Namaz.
Maulana Tauqeer Raza, however, did not appear at the protest site as he was under house arrest. In response, the crowd began marching toward his residence carrying banners that read “I Love Mohammad,” in return the police responded with a lathi charge to stop the crowd. Officials said that 10 policemen were also injured in the clash.
“The most concerning aspect of this incident is that many of the boys who were beaten are quite young. Their families are distressed, and the people of the city are also deeply troubled. Things are under control now,” another local said while talking to FoEJ Media.
At least eight people have been arrested in connection with the incident, Over 50 others have been taken into custody for questioning. A formal case has been registered against 1,700 unidentified persons under various charges, including rioting, obstructing government duties, and assaulting police personnel, officials said.
District magistrate Avinash Singh,while talking to PTI, said, “A few days ago, an organisation had proposed holding a march on Friday and submitting a memorandum in support of a protest. We had informed it that if it was to take any such action, it would need to obtain written permission first, as section 163 of the BNSS (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) is in effect throughout the district.”
“The situation is completely under control. I request everyone not to pay attention to any rumours,” he added.
“I love Muhammad” Campaign
The controversy erupted on September 4 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, during the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession, after a poster reading ‘I Love Muhammad’ was displayed on a tent along the procession route. The placement of the banner drew objections from local Hindu groups, who claimed it was intentionally put up at a spot traditionally used for Hindu festivals like Ram Navami.
The incident triggered tensions, marking the beginning of a broader dispute that has since spread beyond Kanpur, with 21 cases registered and 1,324 Muslims accused across multiple states, according to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). Uttar Pradesh remains at the centre of the crackdown, accounting for 16 FIRs and over 1,000 accused. Notable figures include Unnao (8 cases, 85 accused, 5 arrests), Baghpat (150 accused), Kaiserganj (355), Shahjahanpur (200), and Kaushambi (24). Outside UP, Uttarakhand’s Kashipur recorded a major case with 401 accused and seven arrests. Gujarat saw action in Godhra and Baroda, while Maharashtra’s Byculla reported a single arrest.
