- By Shubham Bajpai
- Fri, 26 Sep 2025 11:23 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The row over 'I Love Muhammad' posters has intensified in Uttar Pradesh with protests and violent clashes reported from cities like Bareilly, Mau, and Kasganj, among others.
After the Friday prayers, a large crowd of protestors gathered at the Kuba Jama Masjid at the Patiali intersection in UP's Kasganj and started raising slogans in protest of the police order to remove the 'I Love Muhammad' banner from a mosque.
Upon receiving information about the gathering, the SP and the Patiali SDM reached the spot. After about an hour of a tense situation, the protestors were calmed down and were allowed to put up the banners.
Earlier, ASP Sushil Kumar, CO Patiali Sandeep Verma, and Kotwali in-charge GanjdundwaraBhojraj Awasthi were patrolling with their forces to maintain law and order. During the patrol, the police noticed banners saying "I Love Mohammad" on a house in Bari Thok.
Officials were informed that there were many similar banners in the area. They then asked members of the Muslim community to remove them. When people learned of this, anger spread. At 5:00 PM, members of the Muslim community began gathering.
After this, hundreds of people shouting slogans reached the Kuba Jama Masjid at PatialiTiraha. There, they created a ruckus over the removal of the banner and began protesting against the police administration.
As soon as the Kotwali police received information about this, Awasthi arrived at the scene with the police force. Upon receiving the information, ASP Sushil Kumar and CO Patiali Sandeep Verma also arrived. The Muslims were adamant about putting up the banner.
10 Cops injured, 12 miscreants arrested in Bareilly
In Bareilly, 12 people were arrested while 10 cops were injured after a huge mob gathered outside the Ala Hazrat Dargah on the call of IMC chief Maulana.
The police said that 90-95 per cent crowd prayed peacefully and returned home, but some miscreants started pelting stones and firing, Bareilly IG Ajay Sahni said.
The police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. IG Sahni said that large number of protestors gathered in a short time reflects the incident to be a conspiracy.
The Bareilly IG further said that no permission was taken for the major gathering or procession.
ALSO READ: I Love Muhammad Row: What Did Bareilly IG Say About Violence That Left 10 Cops Injured?
Clashes in Mau and Baghpat
A similar incident took place in Mau, where hundreds of people gathered after the Friday prayers. They were chanting slogans while walking in a procession. On being asked to return home, some miscreants started pelting stones, prompting a lathi-charge by the police.
In Baghpat also a similar procession was also held. As it lacked permission, the protestors were asked to return, which led to an altercation. The police have filed a case against two named individuals and 150 unidentified.