Violence in Bareilly Leads to Demolitions and Arrests; Focus on “I Love Muhammad” Controversy

Following the violence in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, the authorities demolished several illegal structures, including Raja Palace, owned by Dr. Nafees Ahmed, who was arrested in connection with the violence. The clashes originated from a protest against the display of “I Love Muhammad” posters. The Bareilly Development Authority cited building norm violations as the reason for the demolition. The authorities also sealed a house associated with Maulana Tauqeer Raza. The violence began when both the communities started tearing off each other’s posters. The government booked hundreds of people and arrested the key organisers. The incident has sparked criticism from opposition parties. Authorities have lodged 10 FIRs. Prior to the incident, the Bareilly officials found eight illegal properties linked to people close to the Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief cleric.