'Crowd, Not Posters, Caused Unrest': Top Cop On Bareilly Violence Over ‘I Love Muhammad’ Posters
DIG of Bareilly Range Ajay Kumar Sahni emphasised that individuals are free to display such posters at mosques, Idgahs, or their homes as a personal expression of faith.
Bareilly police have clarified that the recent violence over ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters was not triggered by the posters themselves, but by an unruly crowd that disrupted public order, officials said.
While speaking to Indian Express, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Bareilly Range Ajay Kumar Sahni emphasised that individuals are free to display such posters at mosques, Idgahs, or their homes as a personal expression of faith. “The issue arose when large groups gathered and created disturbances,” he said, adding that police had warned organisers about potential consequences beforehand.
In response to the unrest, the police have set up a 13-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by an SP-rank officer, to probe the matter. The SIT includes two Deputy SPs and ten Inspectors and is investigating 10 FIRs filed under relevant sections of the law, including rioting, unlawful assembly, and forgery.
DIG Sahni also addressed the earlier incident in Kanpur, where similar posters and a lightboard led to protests during the annual Barawafat procession. “The Kanpur incident was distinct, but it shows the risk of such actions spreading unrest across multiple states,” he noted. Protests following the Kanpur incident were reported not only in Uttar Pradesh but also in Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Karnataka.
Authorities reiterated that while personal religious expression is protected under law, any attempt to disrupt public order in its name will be met with strict legal action. “Our priority is maintaining peace and preventing escalation,” DIG Sahni told Indian Express.
Police officials are urging citizens and organisers to cooperate with law enforcement and avoid large, unpermitted gatherings, stressing that lawful religious expression must not spill over into public disorder.
The Bareilly administration is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with local police stations to ensure such incidents do not recur, particularly during upcoming religious events and processions across the city.
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