The police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly on Tuesday shot the district president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council in the leg after he allegedly fired at them when a team had gone to arrest him in connection with clashes linked to the “I love Muhammad” posters row that broke out after Friday prayers, reported The Indian Express.

The Ittehad-e-Millat Council is a regional party in Uttar Pradesh led by local Muslim cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, who was arrested on Saturday and sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The violence had broken out when a crowd carrying “I love Muhammad” posters clashed with police outside a mosque in the Kotwali area.

The unrest reportedly followed the last-minute cancellation of a protest called by Raza in support of the campaign. He said authorities had denied him permission for the demonstration.

Police alleged that Raza delivered speeches that provoked the crowd.

On Tuesday, when the police went to arrest Tazim, the district president of the party, he allegedly opened fire with a country-made pistol, Bareilly Additional Superintendent of Police Manush Pareek was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

This led to the police firing back, claimed Pareek.

Besides Tazim, 17 more persons have been arrested in the case, taking the total number of arrests since September 26 to 73, according to The Indian Express.

The arrested individuals fall into two categories – those allegedly involved in planning the violence and those accused of attacking police after Friday prayers, Pareek told the newspaper.

‘Bulldozer action’ in Bareilly

Since Raza’s arrest, authorities in Bareilly have sealed and demolished several properties linked to his associates.

Officials from the Bareilly Development Authority, the municipal corporation and the police have demolished structures that they claim were built illegally in Faiq Enclave, Jagatpur and parts of the old city, PTI reported.

A marriage hall in the Nariyawal locality belonging to Haji Sharafat Khan, a close aide of Raza, was sealed after he allegedly provided refuge to some of the accused in the violence, reported The Indian Express.

Officials said that nearly 74 shops at Novelty Chauhara, as well as around 35 shops in Kotwali, were also sealed for alleged encroachment.

“Illegal constructions on government and ceiling land will not be spared,” PTI quoted Bareilly Development Authority vice-chairperson Manikandan A as saying. “Strict action will be taken as per rules.”

JPS Rathore, Uttar Pradesh’s minister in-charge for Bareilly, said the government would not tolerate “any kind of anarchy, illegal occupation or map tampering” and warned that bulldozers would be used where necessary, The Indian Express reported.

In November, the Supreme Court held as illegal the practice of demolishing properties of persons accused of crimes as a punitive measure. It said that processes must be followed before removing allegedly illegal encroachments.

There are no provisions in Indian law that allow for the demolition of property as a punitive action.

Row over ‘I love Muhammad’ banners

The row began on September 4, when a group of Muslims held an “I love Muhammad” banner during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Hindu groups objected to the banner, claiming that a “new tradition” was being introduced at the procession.

The police claimed that government rules prohibit introducing new customs into religious processions. On September 9, the police went on to file cases against 24 persons, of whom 15 were unidentified, for allegedly introducing a new custom during the procession and disturbing communal harmony.

However, the police action sparked protests and processions with “I love Muhammad” banners in other districts of Uttar Pradesh and other states. Some of the protests led to clashes with the police, leading to cases being filed.

Also read: ‘BJP may reap benefit’: The politics behind ‘I ♥ Muhammad’ posters in Uttar Pradesh

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