Tensions mounted in the communally sensitive Bareilly city on Friday after followers of an Islamic cleric and Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Tauqeer Raza Khan took to the streets after he was detained for giving a call for “jail bharo” over the ongoing Gyanvapi dispute. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statement in Vidhan Sabha allegedly asking Muslims to give up their claim over the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura and Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi also added to the rising sentiments.
Minor scuffles and stone pelting incidents were reported in the Shamat Ganj area under Baradari police station limits, where two people were injured.
Mr. Khan, before his detention, had reacted sharply over the Haldwani violence, declaring that the bulldozer action would not be tolerated.
“Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan had announced his arrest after the Friday prayers, the programme was completed peacefully. Three youngsters were beaten by some anti-social elements near Shamat Ganj area under Baradari police station limits, in which two youngsters suffered minor injuries. We are taking appropriate steps to maintain law and order,” said the Bareilly police in a statement.
A heavy police force was deployed in the area with senior police officials — including the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and six Additional Superintendents of Police (ASP) — also joining the personnel on the field.
“Strict vigil is maintained in the area with deployment of heavy police force,” said Sushil Chandrabhan, Bareilly SSP. Additional Superintendents Rahul Bhati, Ishan Soni and Manush Pareek were among those present in the locality.
Bareilly is a communally sensitive region with roughly 35% Muslim population in the district and 40% in the city area.
Mr. Khan, a religious leader of the Barelvi movement of Sunni Muslims, is a great-grandson of Ahmed Raza Khan, who was the founder of the Barelvi movement. The movement is a moderate form of Sunni Islam with a strong Sufi influence.
