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Maulana Ahsan Raza Khan urges peace in Bareilly after violent clashes over the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign; 81 arrests have been made till Wednesday.
Maulana Ahsan Razan Khan is the seniormost cleric of Ala Hazrat Dargah in Bareilly. (PTI image)
Amid the ongoing ‘I Love Muhammad’ row, Maulana Ahsan Raza Khan, the senior-most cleric at the Ala Hazrat Dargah in Bareilly, has called for restraint and calm ahead of Friday prayers.
His message for peace comes in the wake of last week’s violent clashes in the city, which took place in support of ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign.
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The cleric appealed to the local Muslim community on Thursday, urging them to return home peacefully after offering prayers. His message is aimed at preventing further unrest and dispelling any rising tensions in the area.
“Head straight to your homes, businesses after Friday prayers; don’t fall for provocations. Maintain peace,” the cleric stated, according to news agency PTI.
The Ala Hazrat Dargah, a key religious centre for followers of the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam, holds considerable influence in the region.
On September 26, nearly 2,000 people gathered outside a mosque in Bareilly’s Kotwali area. The crowd had assembled in response to a call for protest issued by cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan in support of the campaign. What began as a demonstration snowballed into clashes, with participants reportedly throwing stones and confronting police personnel.
Authorities have since taken firm action, arresting 81 individuals connected to the outbreak of violence as of Wednesday. Security measures are expected to be heightened ahead of this Friday’s prayers to prevent any repeat of the disturbances.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
Bareilly, India, India
October 03, 2025, 08:39 IST
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