A recent report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), released on October 10, reveals that a total of 4,505 Muslims have been booked across India, with 265 arrests, including 89 in Bareilly, as of October 7.
The fact-finding report alleges that there was disproportionate police action and administrative targeting of Muslims in Bareilly following the “I Love Muhammad” demonstration, led by Muslim scholar Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan. The report was compiled by a team of lawyers and civil society members and asserts that the peaceful protest faced a violent response, including lathi charges, mass arrests, and arbitrary property seizures.
According to the report, the protest, organized to submit a memorandum to local authorities, was entirely peaceful, involving no violence or vandalism. Previous demonstrations of a similar nature had been conducted without incident; however, police allegedly used force without prior warning, dispersing participants through an unexpected lathi charge followed by mass detentions.
In the wake of the protest, additional police and paramilitary forces were deployed in Muslim-majority neighborhoods, and internet services were suspended for 48 hours, causing significant economic disruption and instilling fear within the community. On September 29, just two days post-demonstration, the administration sealed 32 shops in the Mazaar Pehalwaan Market, a recognized Waqf property, carried out without prior notice or documentation, despite an existing stay order from the Waqf Tribunal.
The market, which has long been managed by the local Waqf Committee, remains under litigation; however, tenants have peacefully occupied the premises and continue to pay rent to the Waqf Board. Shopkeepers allege the sealing operation was a punitive measure linked to the protest. This operation reportedly took place under heavy police presence, increasing fear and discouraging dissent.
As of October 7, lawyers have estimated that at least 89 Muslims have been formally arrested in Bareilly, in addition to several being detained informally from their residences. Reports indicate that arrest memos were not issued, FIR copies were withheld, and families were left uninformed about the whereabouts of their detained relatives. Local witnesses further alleged minors were among those detained, though their locations and access to legal representation remain uncertain.
A member of the fact-finding team said, “People were picked up without being told why. Even lawyers weren’t given access to case papers.” The report also provides evidence of targeted administrative actions against Muslim community leaders, including property demolitions and sealings associated with clerics and activists, many executed during periods of restricted internet access.
The fact-finding report notes a clear divide in the city, with Muslim localities heavily patrolled and subdued, while Hindu-majority areas remained largely unaffected. The conclusion drawn indicates a “pattern of collective punishment and institutional bias” against Muslims, highlighting credible testimony of religious expression suppression, arbitrary arrests, and censorship.
The report criticized the authorities for employing aggressive and disproportionate measures during a peaceful protest, stating that legal norms regarding arrest, notice, and due process were overlooked, which constitutes human rights violations. It called for constructive dialogue between the Muslim community and authorities, a judicial inquiry into the police response and property seizures, and intervention from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate these human rights violations.
Additionally, the report urged disciplinary action against officers involved in excessive force and illegal arrests, alongside the release of all detainees held contrary to legal guidelines. It also appealed to civil society to resist the criminalization of Muslim religious expression and called for accountability from local officials for punitive demolitions and sealing efforts.
The “I Love Muhammad” demonstration was part of several peaceful gatherings orchestrated by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan. Following this event, police filed ten FIRs and arrested several associates, including Dr. Nafis Khan, a member of the local Waqf Management Committee.
The situation in Bareilly remains tense, characterized by ongoing police presence and mounting calls for transparency and justice across the state.
Tags: Muslim crackdown, I Love Muhammad campaign, fact-finding report, targeted arrests, religious persecution
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