Bareilly: In the aftermath of the September 26 violence in Bareilly, police have sent Dr. Nafees Khan, a close aide of cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza, and his son Farman to jail. According to SSP Anurag Arya, a total of eight accused were arrested on Wednesday, including two from Shahjahanpur detained after an encounter. This brings the total arrests in the case to 81 people. Police officials said the arrests are based on CCTV footage and mobile videos, focusing on those who allegedly gathered or incited the crowd.
However, within sections of the community, concerns are being expressed that action is disproportionately affecting those associated with Muslim leaders.
Investigators allege that the timing of the Friday prayer on September 26 was deliberately altered after a video appeal by Maulana Tauqeer. Authorities believe the change encouraged larger crowds to gather near Islamia ground.
During the unrest, police said shops and vehicles were damaged, and 22 policemen were injured as officers used batons and tear gas to control the situation. Community members, however, claim that many innocent bystanders have also been picked up in the sweep.
Ten FIRs have been filed across different police stations, naming 125 individuals and listing about 3,000 unidentified persons. Seven FIRs mention Maulana Tauqeer Raza. An SIT under SP City Manush Parik has been formed to probe the matter.
