LUCKNOW: UP Police have announced a cash reward of Rs 15,000 each for information aiding to the arrest of seven associates of Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza.
They have been absconding in connection with the violence that erupted in Bareilly last month over "I Love Muhammad" posters.
As per Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya, seven persons were named in the FIRs registered after the violence the broke out on September 26.
Those who figure on the wanted list include IMC youth district president Sajid Saklani, city youth president Altamas Raja, Afzal Beg, Nayab alias Nimma, Bablu Khan, Nadeem, and Adnan Saklani.
According to police, Sajid and Altamas are wanted in cases registered at Baradari police station while Afzal Beg is wanted in cases at Kila and Baradari police stations.
Nayab alias Nimma and Bablu Khan are listed as history-sheeters at the Baradari police station, while Nadeem also faces charges of gang rape, police sources said. The police authorities added that Adnan Saklani allegedly instigated young men to join the violence.
According to SSP Arya, special teams were formed to track down the accused, who are currently on the run.
"No person involved in the violence will be spared. Arrests will be made soon," he added.
The controversy erupted on September 9 when Kanpur police booked 24 people for allegedly installing boards with "I Love Muhammad" written on them during a religious procession on September 4.
In Bareilly, tensions broke out on September 26, when locals and police clashed in the heart of the city post-Friday prayers after the cancellation of a proposed protest over the "I Love Muhammad" posters.
During protests, the mob started pelting stones over cops for being stopped at Khaleel Trisection. Consequently, police resorted to lathi charge to control the situation. Several people were injured in the clashes.
Police investigations later revealed that a few leaders of the IMC had allegedly conspired to incite the riots under the guise of protests.
So far, over 80 people, including IMC chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, national general secretary and spokesperson Nafees, former district president Nadeem Khan, social media in-charge Farhat Khan, city president Anees Saklani, founding member Moin Siddiqui, former district president Munir Idrishi, and district president Shamsad, have been arrested in connection with the unrest and violence.
Ten FIRs were lodged across Kotwali, Cantt, Baradari, Premnagar and Kila police stations in connection with the incident, naming 125 people and around 3,000 unidentified persons, officials said.