New Delhi: A total of 4,505 Muslims were booked and 285 arrested across India until October 7 in connection with the nationwide ‘I Love Muhammad’ protests, according to a fact-finding report released on Friday, October 10, by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). Among those arrested, 89 were detained by the Bareilly police in Uttar Pradesh.
The APCR report noted that while most protests were peaceful, with no slogans raised or incidents of vandalism or arson, participants were met with police firing, manhandling, lathi charges, property seizures, and mass arrests.
Interviews conducted by the APCR fact-finding team with lawyers highlighted that many arrests—including those of minors—were arbitrary and carried out without warrants. Families were reportedly left unaware of the whereabouts of their relatives, and FIR copies were often denied. Lawyers were also restricted from accessing case papers, while police refused to provide reasons for the arrests.
The report further pointed to a systematic targeting of India’s Muslim community, citing measures such as internet shutdowns, demolitions and sealing of properties, increased police patrolling in Muslim localities, and widespread economic disruption, creating fear among residents.
APCR has urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate alleged human rights violations and take disciplinary action against police officers and local authorities responsible for arrests and demolitions.