Police intervention saves the situation from getting out of control
Team Clarion
BAREILLY – Tensions flared in this Uttar Pradesh city on Sunday as a large procession celebrating Eid Miladun Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), was blocked by members of the Hindu community, leading to a heated stand-off between the two groups.
A video circulated on social media shows a Muslim group carrying religious flags during the procession, only to be confronted by Hindus who blocked the road and chanted religious slogans. The confrontation quickly escalated as both sides exchanged chants, creating a tense atmosphere.
Eyewitnesses report that police intervened to prevent the situation from spiralling into violence. “On the spot, the police and administration talked to both the parties and after convincing them, sent them back to their homes. Peace and order are completely maintained,” Bareilly police stated on X, adding that extra police forces had been deployed at sensitive points in the city as a precaution.
According to the Muslim procession organisers, they had secured the necessary permission to hold the procession, a religious ritual observed by some Muslim sects, particularly the Barelvi sect. However, members of the Hindu community justified their roadblock by claiming it was in response to perceived disruptions caused by the Muslim community during the recent Kanwar Yatra.
“This is not the first time we’ve had issues with processions in this area,” said a local. “During the Kanwar Yatra, we faced similar disruptions from the Muslim side, and this time we decided to stand our ground.”
The incident has deepened already fragile tensions in Bareilly, a city known for its history of communal clashes. A similar procession in 2010 saw violent confrontations when a Muslim group attempted to divert their procession through a Hindu-majority area, resulting in rioting and a prolonged curfew. The violence led to the torching of a police post and several houses, leaving the city on edge for weeks.
Local authorities are now working to de-escalate the situation, with heightened police presence in communally sensitive areas. “We are doing everything we can to maintain peace and ensure that such incidents do not escalate further,” said a police spokesperson.
