Amid the escalating ‘I Love Muhammad’ row, violence erupted in Bareilly, Barabanki, and Mau districts of Uttar Pradesh. Police conducted overnight raids, made arrests, and deployed forces to control the situation. Authorities are also monitoring social media to curb attempts at disturbing communal harmony
Women hold placards reading 'I Love Muhammad' during a demonstration demanding withdrawal of the FIR registered in Kanpur. Pic/PTI
Amid heightened tensions across states over the ‘I love Muhammad'row, there have been reports of violence in Uttar Pradesh. As protests turned violent in Bareilly, police carried out overnight house-to-house raids to nab the culprits and arrest a prominent cleric, news agency PTI reported.
Officials on Saturday said that security forces have been deployed in strength and social media was being closely monitored to keep the situation under control.
On Friday night, following the clashes in Bareilly, tension further erupted in Faizullaganj village in Barabanki district, PTI reported. Faizullaganj is located adjacent to the state capital, Lucknow. As per the reports, a banner with the words "I Love Muhammad" was torn down in the same district, which intensified the situation to a much greater extent.
One side alleged that a local watchman named Dhanni broke the rope with a stick and brought down the banner. Following this incident, members of one community gathered at the scene and expressed their displeasure over the issue which caused the unrest.
Members of the other community also began gathering, creating a tense atmosphere in the village, reported PTI.
Dhanni's house was reportedly vandalised by some youths. Soon after receiving the information, the police immediately swung into action.
Additional superintendent of police and the circle officer arrived at the scene, and cops from several police stations were called to the village to bring the situation under control.
Ajay Singh, the superintendent of police (SP)'s public relations officer, said that a dispute had erupted over the removal of a banner, but peace has now been restored at the scene.
Another incident was reported from Mau district where some people took out a procession chanting "I Love Muhammad" in the Nai Bazaar area after the Friday prayers. The police chased them away with batons and a video of the entire incident was circulated on social media.
Mau SP Ilamaran said, “The police are closely monitoring social media and are taking action based on information gathered about the entire matter."
Police made some arrests in Varanasi, too, for allegedly taking out an unauthorised procession with "I Love Muhammad" posters and banners on Monday. This act, according to authorities, was intended to disrupt communal harmony and spread anarchy.
Considering that the unrest is spreading very quickly across various districts, police officers and other agencies are keeping a strict eye on all the antisocial elements who are trying to disturb the peace.
(With inputs from PTI)
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