The administration in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly has bulldozed several properties belonging to associates of Muslim cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, days after clashes linked to the “I love Muhammad” posters row, reported The Times of India.

The authorities claimed that the properties were illegal.

On September 26, violence had broken out in Bareilly when a crowd carrying “I love Muhammad” posters clashed with police outside a mosque in the Kotwali area.

The unrest reportedly followed the last-minute cancellation of a protest called by Raza in support of the campaign. He said authorities had denied him permission for the demonstration.

Police alleged that Raza delivered speeches that provoked the crowd. He was arrested on September 27 and sent to 14-day judicial custody.

In November, the Supreme Court held as illegal the practice of demolishing properties of persons accused of crimes as a punitive measure. It said that processes must be followed before removing allegedly illegal encroachments.

There are no provisions in Indian law that allow for the demolition of property as a punitive action.

On Saturday morning, a demolition drive was carried out under the supervision of District Magistrate Avinash Singh, reported PTI.

Among the buildings demolished was Raja Palace, a marriage hall in the Jakhira area owned by Nafees Ahmed, one of the persons arrested in the clashes.

Bareilly Development Authority Vice-Chairman Manikandan A said that the building was constructed in violation of approved norms, PTI reported.

“The action has been taken strictly according to legal procedure,” the news agency quoted him as saying. “It is not targeted at any individual.”

A nameplate at the site identified the property owner as Mutawalli Shoaib Beg, son of the late Athar Beg, a former Provincial Civil Services officer, The Times of India reported.

In Faik Enclave, the administration sealed a house belonging to a person identified as Farhat. Raza was allegedly sheltered in the house during the clashes, the newspaper reported.

The Bareilly municipal corporation also removed alleged encroachments from more than 15 shops in the Sailani area on Saturday.

Following the clashes, police had lodged 10 first information reports and booked hundreds of people, mostly unidentified, in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state. More than 70 persons, including Raza’s aides and some relatives, have been arrested.

Separately, five associates of Raza were issued recovery notices totalling more than Rs 1.25 crore for alleged power theft at e-charging stations, PTI reported on Monday.

Row over ‘I love Muhammad’ banners

The row began on September 4, when a group of Muslims held an “I love Muhammad” banner during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Hindu groups objected to the banner, claiming that a “new tradition” was being introduced at the procession.

The police claimed that government rules prohibit introducing new customs into religious processions. On September 9, the police went on to file cases against 24 persons, of whom 15 were unidentified, for allegedly introducing a new custom during the procession and disturbing communal harmony.

However, the police action sparked protests and processions with “I love Muhammad” banners in other districts of Uttar Pradesh and other states. Some of the protests led to clashes with the police, leading to cases being filed.

Also read: ‘BJP may reap benefit’: The politics behind ‘I ♥ Muhammad’ posters in Uttar Pradesh