The Uttar Pradesh police shot Tazim, the district president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), in the leg during what authorities describe as an extrajudicial operation on Tuesday. This incident escalates the state’s crackdown following a protest in Bareilly related to the “I Love Muhammad” campaign, which occurred after Friday prayers on September 26.
Police reported that a team had been dispatched to arrest Tazim in connection with the protest. They claimed that Tazim opened fire on them using a country-made pistol, leading officers to return fire in self-defense, which resulted in his injury.
“While trying to arrest him, the accused fired at the police team with a country-made pistol. Our team returned fire in self-defence, injuring him in the leg,” stated Additional Superintendent of Police Manush Pareek during a press briefing after the incident.
Currently receiving medical treatment under police custody, Tazim is reportedly a close associate of Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, a prominent cleric and the IMC chief in Bareilly. Pareek noted that Tazim had previously been charged under the UP Gangster Act and was involved in a cow slaughter case.
Khan was arrested on Saturday and has been placed in 14-day judicial custody. The arrest of Tazim signifies an intensification in the crackdown on IMC leadership, bringing the total number of arrests linked to the unrest to 73. Among those detained on Tuesday were Shamshad, Moin, Zakir Qureshi, and others, including a minor, under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Arms Act.
The unrest in Bareilly began after the distribution of “I Love Muhammad” posters, which prompted a police response. Reports indicate that authorities have been detaining Muslim youths and minors without notifying families, and allegations have surfaced regarding the demolition of properties owned by Muslims.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government has pledged stringent actions against those deemed responsible for inciting violence. However, opposition parties and human rights organizations have condemned the extensive arrests and demolitions as acts of “collective punishment.”
The situation in Bareilly remains tense, with a significant police presence. Authorities have claimed that several police personnel sustained injuries during the clashes, but drone footage reviewed by Maktoob indicates that police initiated the crackdown by lathi-charging individuals attempting to gather outside the mosque following Friday prayers.
Tags: police shooting, Muslim leader, Bareilly, I Love Muhammad campaign, crackdown
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