Ghaziabad Police has arrested a 45-year-old man over ‘I Love Mohammad’ posters pasted in front of his Kidwai Nagar house. The police took action after Bajrang Dal workers protested over ‘I love Mohammad’ posters and banners in the area.
ACP (Modinagar) Amit Saxena said the labourer, identified as Sherdil, was arrested on Saturday under section 151 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which allows preventive detention for maintaining peace and harmony.
“He has been placed under judicial custody. He will be presented in the court for a bail hearing tomorrow (Monday),” SHO Modinagar Naresh Kumar Sharma said.
Bajrang Dal district unit president Madhur Nehra, who led the protest at the police station, said they threatened to remove the posters if police failed to take action.
“We received complaints from residents of the area that ‘I love Mohammad’ posters have sprung up in different parts of the city. We submitted a complaint to the police. We have been informed that an appropriate action has been taken in this regard,” the Bajrang Dal leader said.
A team of police later removed the posters, including a banner, in the area.
The arrest of the man comes amid heightened tension across Uttar Pradesh over religious posters. On Friday, Bareilly witnessed violent protests over ‘I Love Mohammad’ posters.
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Bajrang Dal demands ouster of Muslim vendors outside Navratri fair, police say ‘looking into the matter’
Meanwhile, the local unit of the Bajrang Dal objected to the alleged presence of Muslim vendors outside Sikri Mahamaya Temple during the ongoing Navratri fair, and sought their removal.
“This fair is entirely religious and faith-based. But some people from the Muslim community have set up shops in the fair outside the temple. These shops are hurting the religious sentiments of the devotees and destroying the sanctity of the fair environment,” the Bajrang Dal leader told the ACP in a letter.
“Therefore, you are requested to immediately close all such shops so that the Navratri fair can be completed in a completely religious atmosphere and peace. If immediate action is not taken on this matter, anger may spread among the devotees for which the administration will be fully responsible,” the letter stated.
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ACP Saxena said the police were looking into the issue. “We are checking what kind of shops have been put up outside the Navratri fair. Once our investigation is completed, we will be taking appropriate action in this matter too,” the ACP added.
