'Go home peacefully after Friday prayers', senior cleric appeals to Muslims in Bareilly

Bareilly (UP), Oct 2 (PTI) Maulana Ahsan Razan Khan, the seniormost cleric of Ala Hazrat Dargah here, has appealed to local Muslims to return home peacefully after Friday prayers.

The appeal, issued on Thursday, was made in a bid to maintain calm in the backdrop of violence that erupted after Friday prayers in the city last week.

"Every Muslim, after offering Friday prayers, must return to their homes. Do not pay heed to rumours. Maintain peace," he stated.

The Ala Hazrat Dargah is widely recognised as the most revered site of the Barelvi sect of Sunni Islam and holds significant influence in the region.

On September 26, approximately 2,000 people gathered outside a mosque in Kotwali area after Friday prayers, following cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan's call for a demonstration in support of the 'I Love Muhammad' campaign. The situation soon escalated into stone-pelting and clashes with police personnel.

As of Wednesday, a total of 81 people have been arrested in connection with the violence. PTI COR CDN RUK RUK