The situation in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly remained tense on Friday as followers of Tauqeer Raza Khan, the chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, protested his detention for giving a call for “jail bharo”, or voluntary surrender to the police, reported The Hindu.

Criticising the Haldwani violence and the Gyanvapi mosque dispute, Khan had called for the “jail bharo” protest on Thursday to agitate against the oppression of Muslims in the country.

In Uttarakhand’s Haldwani, at least six persons were killed in the violence that erupted on Thursday after police and civic authorities demolished Mariyam mosque and the Abdul Razzaq Zakariya madrasa. The demolition led to clashes between the locals and police officials and resulted in six deaths.

The Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi is at the centre of a legal suit where the Hindu plaintiffs have claimed the religious site was built over a temple.

On January 31, the Varanasi district court passed a direction allowing Hindu prayers in the sealed basement of the Gyanvapi mosque complex after the details of an Archaeological Survey of India survey report, which found that a Hindu temple existed at the site of the mosque, were made public.

Khan on Thursday urged his followers to peacefully join him at the Islamia College ground in his protest against the incidents. He told the followers not to cause any law and order problems for the police.

“We will not tolerate any bulldozer action any more,” Khan said, reported the Hindustan Times. “If the Supreme Court can not take care of us, we will take care of us. Now I am going to offer namaz. After that, I will offer to be arrested.”

On Friday, two persons were injured as incidents of scuffle and stone throwing were reported in Bareilly.

“Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan had announced his arrest after the Friday prayers, the programme was completed peacefully,” the Bareilly Police said. “Three youngsters were beaten by some anti-social elements near Shamat Ganj area under Baradari police station limits, in which two youngsters suffered minor injuries. We are taking appropriate steps to maintain law and order.”

Khan’s “jail bharo” call came a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath endorsed the claims of Hindu groups on the land where the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura and the Gyanvapi mosque complex stand.

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