MEERUT/BAREILLY: Internet services, including mobile data, broadband and SMS services, were suspended across Bareilly on Thursday afternoon amid fears of unrest on Friday when people will gather to offer juma namaz.According to a govt notification, internet will remain suspended till 3pm on Oct 4.
Here are 10 things you need to know:
- Internet suspension in Bareilly: Mobile data, broadband, and SMS services were suspended on Thursday afternoon ahead of Friday prayers; service will remain off till 3pm on Oct 4.
- Security tightened: Heavy police deployment across four districts in Bareilly division, drones monitoring the city; some sensitive areas resembled fortresses and many roads were deserted.
- House arrest of Bhim Army chief: Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhim Army chief and Nagina MP, was placed under house arrest in Saharanpur to prevent him from visiting Bareilly.
- Background of unrest: Precautions follow clashes last week during a procession after Friday prayers over the ‘I Love Muhammad’ controversy; police had resorted to lathi charge and arrested over 80 people.
- Notable arrests: Among those arrested were Ittehad-e-Millat Council president Tauqeer Raza Khan and two close associates.
- Calls for peace: Ala Hazrat Association urged people to pray peacefully and return home; Jamaat Raza-e-Mustafa national vice-president Salman Hasan Khan appealed to maintain harmony and avoid rumours.
- Administration action in Muslim-majority areas: Bareilly Development Authority teams surveying properties for violations; structures without approved maps or breaking building rules to face notices, sealing, or demolition.
- Authority statement: Vice-chairman Manikandan A said every illegal brick will be accounted for; the drive is meant as a lesson for rioters and warning to others breaking the law.
- Azad’s accusation: Chandrashekhar Azad claimed the government is “using police to silence victims and opposition voices” and demanded an impartial probe into last week’s violence.
- Other political figures restricted: Saharanpur MP Imran Masood and former Amroha MP Kunwar Danish Ali were put under house arrest on Wednesday to prevent them from visiting Bareilly.
‘Bareilly represents rich Ganga-Jamuni culture, any attempt to tarnish its image must be stopped’Ahead of Friday prayers, Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, urged the public—especially members of the Muslim community—to maintain peace.In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, authorities have deployed a large contingent of police, including the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Rapid Action Force (RAF), and intelligence teams, across sensitive parts of the city. The increased security follows earlier unrest connected to religious tensions and aims to ensure law and order.“Today is Friday prayers, and sadly, previous incidents also occurred on a Friday. I appeal to everyone, particularly Muslims, to keep the city calm and dispute-free. Bareilly represents the rich Ganga-Jamuni culture, and any attempt to tarnish its image must be stopped. This is the responsibility of each one of us,” he said.Friday prayers at local mosques are scheduled from 1pm onwards, and authorities are taking extensive measures to maintain peace given the day’s sensitivities and the city’s recent history.
