By Alen Bašić
The report, released on 10 October by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), revealed that 4,505 Muslims across India have been booked and at least 265 arrested, including 89 in Bareilly alone, as of October 7.
Their alleged crime was writing, “I Love Muhammad,” a reference to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), on posters, t-shirts, or in social media posts, which authorities say is threatening “public order”.
The demonstration was organised by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, a prominent cleric in Bareilly, with the stated purpose of submitting an appeal to local authorities under the “I Love Muhammad” campaign. According to APCR, the gathering was entirely peaceful.
“No slogans were raised, no vandalism took place, and there was no violence. It was simply a show of devotion to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,” the report said, noting that similar protests in the past had concluded without incident.
Yet police reportedly responded by using force with batons, mass arrests, and the deployment of paramilitary forces, including the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Response Force (RRF).
The aggressive police response was carried out across Muslim-majority areas. Authorities also suspended internet services for 48 hours, disrupting local businesses and heightening fear within the community.
This story was originally published in 5pillarsuk.com. Read the full story here.
