Bulldozers moved into UP's Bareilly, where authorities have initiated action against properties linked to close aides of Tauqeer Raza Khan, the influential cleric and president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC). The first target appears to be the residence of one of his associates in the Bankhana area, where officials sealed construction work on Monday amid a heavy police deployment.
The Bareilly district administration and police, accompanied by a fire brigade team, arrived at the residence of Nadeem Khan, identified as a close aide of Tauqeer Raza. Construction work at the site was halted and sealed, and a bulldozer was moved in. Officials indicated that the property, which is registered in the name of a relative, could be demolished as early as Tuesday.
A large police force, including companies of paramilitary personnel, has been stationed in the area to prevent any disturbance. Senior officers, including the District Magistrate, Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya, Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) Vice-Chairman Dr Manikandan A, and the municipal commissioner, are supervising preparations.
According to officials, eight properties linked to associates of Tauqeer Raza have been identified for action. These structures, spread across Faiq Enclave, Jagatpur and Bareilly's old city, are alleged to have been built without sanctioned maps and in several cases on government or ceiling land.
Police say Faiq Enclave has become a safe haven for criminals. A property linked to Saddam, brother-in-law of gangster Atiq Ahmad, was earlier sealed there. Officials now claim that aides of Tauqeer Raza, including Farhat and coloniser Mohammad Arif, have engaged in similar encroachment.
"Illegal constructions on government and ceiling land will not be spared. Strict action will be taken as per rules," said Dr Manikandan A, BDA Vice-Chairman, as quoted by news agency PTI.
On Sunday, three commercial establishments linked to Arif -- Skylark Hotel, Fahm Lawn, and Flora Garden -- were sealed for alleged unauthorised construction. The BDA also confirmed that Arif and his associates had encroached upon roads and government land.
Bareilly Municipal Corporation has marked several shops for demolition, including structures built atop Pahalwan Sahab Dargah. Officials said an FIR is being prepared against Arif on charges of land and road encroachment.
Authorities have intensified monitoring of Tauqeer Raza's close aides and financial backers, who they suspect of providing funds and logistical support for recent unrest. The scrutiny follows violent clashes on September 26, when protests linked to the "I Love Muhammad" campaign turned violent in Bareilly's Kotwali area.
The September 26 Violence
More than 2,000 people gathered after Friday prayers outside a mosque in Kotwali, despite authorities denying permission for a planned demonstration. Violence broke out when police attempted to disperse the crowd. Stones were thrown, several officers were injured, and the clashes soon spread to other locations.
Police have since registered 10 First Information Reports (FIRs), naming 180 individuals and listing another 2,500 as unidentified. At least 60 people, including Tauqeer Raza Khan, have been arrested.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath warned that rioters would face strict action.
