The report accuses the state of collective punishment and criminalising the religious expression of ‘I Love Muhammad
NEW DELHI — A fact-finding report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has detailed police atrocities, use of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and targeted demolitions against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly during the ‘I Love Muhammad’ protest campaign in the city.
The report, titled “‘I Love Muhammad’ Demonstrations in Bareilly: A Fact-Finding Report into Collective Punishment and Criminalising Faith,” says 4,505 Muslims were booked across the nation, 265 were arrested pan-India, with 89 held in Bareilly alone.
The report points out that the state’s response amounted to collective punishment and criminalisation of a religious expression.
The demonstration, led by influential cleric and chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, was intended to submit a memorandum supporting the ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign after police in Kanpur filed an FIR against Muslims for displaying banners during Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations. Despite prior announcements, the Bareilly administration denied permission for the protest. On September 26, a large crowd gathered after Friday prayers, most dispersing peacefully before clashes broke out in some areas.
According to the report, police used force without prior warning, leading to injuries and chaos. Over ten FIRs were filed that night, implicating more than 2,000 people, including Maulana Tauqeer Raza, with charges ranging from rioting to offences against the state. The APCR found these FIRs “vague, repetitive, and excessively harsh,” accusing the authorities of using grave criminal sections without evidence of armed rebellion or hate speech.
By October 7, at least 89 people had been arrested, many allegedly without being informed of the reasons or shown arrest orders. The report documents claims of minors being picked up from Muslim localities and held without access to legal counsel. Lawyers told the fact-finding team that FIR copies were withheld, delaying legal recourse.
The APCR also condemned the demolition of properties belonging to the accused Muslims, including the Raza Palace banquet hall owned by a close aide of Maulana Raza, and several shops in Pehalwan Markaz Market, a waqf property under judicial dispute. Shopkeepers told investigators that the sealing occurred without notice, under heavy police presence, and in violation of court stay orders.
The report highlights economic losses, suspension of internet services, and the heavy deployment of armed forces in Muslim-majority areas, creating what it calls a “climate of fear and repression.” Witnesses described contrasting scenes, deserted Muslim neighborhoods under surveillance, and unaffected Hindu-majority areas operating normally.
The APCR concluded that state authorities acted with disproportionate force, failed to follow due legal procedures, and violated fundamental rights of assembly and religious freedom. It called for an independent inquiry into police actions, restoration of due process, and accountability for officers involved in unlawful force or property seizures.
The organisation urged the National Human Rights Commission and the judiciary to intervene, ensure the release of those arrested without proper legal grounds, and initiate disciplinary proceedings against officials responsible for arbitrary actions.
The report frames the Bareilly incident not as an isolated case but as part of a larger trend of criminalising Muslim expression in the name of law and order.
