10 held across UP for 'I Love Muhammad' posters, videos

As many as ten Muslims have been arrested across Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sharing ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters and videos.

In Muzaffarnagar, a 30-year-old Nadeem, working as a cloth trader in Mumbai, was arrested for reportedly posting an objectionable and controversial video on social media, a police official said.

“A few days ago, an objectionable and controversial video went viral on social media. There were attempts to instigate people through the video,” Superintendent of Police (Rural) Aditya Bansal said.

Nadeem was arrested under sections 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot, if rioting be committed; if not committed) and 152 (act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

4 held in Meerut

In Meerut, four men were arrested for allegedly conspiring to disturb communal harmony and incite unrest in Khirwa town under the Sarurpur Police Station limits.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vipin Tada said the arrests were made after police received a tip-off on October 3 that a group, through an audio message on a local WhatsApp group, was attempting to provoke residents and gather a crowd in a planned manner to disrupt peace in the area.

As the message went viral, police launched a surveillance operation to monitor the group’s activities and verify its origins.

Four residents – Faiz alias Ghayyur, 20, Nafees, 23, Abid, 59, and Mohammad Lukman, 35, – were arrested, the officer said.

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Five people were arrested on October 4 for allegedly putting up an “I love Muhammad” poster in Meerut, police said.

The poster was put up on Friday night at the main intersection of Mawana town. On Saturday morning, locals objected to the poster and staged a protest.

A case was registered against — Idrish, Tasleem, Rihan, Gulfam, and Haroon — under section 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for putting up the poster.

The ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters initially gained attention after Kanpur police arrested dozens of young Muslims for putting up the banner during Milad-un-Nabi processions.

The move resulted in huge demonstrations across the country, with many protesters taking to the streets, holding banners, some changing their social media display pictures to the statement, and putting up stickers near shops and houses.

(With PTI inputs)

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