Violent Clashes in Bareilly: "I Love Muhammad" Campaign Sparks Religious Tensions and Police Confrontations

Violent confrontations erupted in two separate locations in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh on Friday during protests connected to the "I Love Muhammad" campaign, causing significant escalation of tensions in the area.

According to multiple FIRs filed by Bareilly Police, serious allegations have emerged, including claims that protesters chanted controversial and objectionable slogans while attacking officers with bricks, stones, and firearms.

The police reports document two distinct volatile incidents that unfolded on Friday.

Near Islamia Inter College, the more severe incident was recorded in FIR No. 1146/2025 at Baradari Police Station. Authorities allege a crowd of approximately 200-250 individuals was advancing toward the college while shouting objectionable slogans.

Inspector Dhananjay Pandey's complaint states that the procession, led by individuals identified as Nadeem and Anis Saklaini, carried placards and chanted provocative slogans. When police attempted to enforce Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita prohibiting unauthorized gatherings, the situation deteriorated rapidly.

According to the FIR, the crowd began assaulting police with bricks, stones, and glass bottles containing acid. Most alarmingly, gunfire was reportedly directed at police personnel from within the mob.

The violence resulted in two injured constables. Constable Siddhant Chaudhary suffered a serious injury when a bullet grazed his left arm, reportedly burning his uniform. Constable Aditya Pratap Singh also sustained injuries from projectiles.

Police recovered critical evidence from the scene, including two empty 12-bore cartridge shells, fragments of broken acid-filled glass bottles, and numerous bricks and stones.

Authorities have invoked serious sections of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), including Section 124(2) for Sedition, Section 121 for Waging War, and additional sections related to rioting and attempted murder.

Earlier that day, another incident was documented in FIR No. 0388/2025 at Prem Nagar Police Station. This report names Maulana Tauqeer Raza and others, including Lucky Shah alias Junaid, Nadeem Khan, and Munir Idrisi, as leading 150-200 people gathered at Akhtar Wali Gali Chowk.

According to Sub-Inspector Pramod Kumar, the group was conducting a meeting and planning actions against police when officers arrived. When instructed to disperse, the crowd allegedly began pushing and shoving officers. Head Constable Surjit Singh was injured in the confrontation, and Constable Vikrant's uniform was torn. The report states that the crowd eventually dispersed and fled.

This second case also includes charges related to unlawful assembly, assault on public servants, and criminal intimidation.

Prominent cleric and Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, descendant of Ahmed Raza Khan who founded the Barelvi sect of Sunni Islam, has been arrested and placed in 14-day judicial custody.

Before his arrest, Maulana Raza released a video statement claiming he had only intended to submit a memorandum to authorities and that a "fake letter" had been circulated in his name.

The "I Love Muhammad" campaign began earlier this month as an expression of faith and unity, but related protests have sparked tensions across parts of Uttar Pradesh.

The controversy originated on September 9, when Kanpur police filed an FIR against nine named and 15 unidentified individuals for allegedly installing boards with "I Love Muhammad" written on them on a public road. Hindu groups objected to these displays, describing them as a "deviation from tradition" and "deliberate provocation."