After more than four decades of unchecked influence, the Uttar Pradesh administration has finally tightened its grip on Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan (65)—a man long known in Bareilly for his fiery speeches and intimidation of local Hindus. The crackdown follows the violent 26 September 2024 riots triggered by the “I Love Mohammad” controversy that shook the city.

According to Dainik Bhaskar, the police have jailed 88 people, including Raza and seven of his close aides. Meanwhile, the Bareilly Development Authority and Municipal Corporation sealed or demolished assets worth over ₹220 crore, marking one of the largest actions in the region’s history.

The Power Corporation has joined the enforcement drive—cutting multiple electricity connections after repeated inspections exposed irregularities. Officials confirmed that a similar large-scale operation is unfolding in Bareilly just as it did in Sambhal following earlier violence.

Witnesses said a massive crowd gathered outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers when Tauqeer Raza’s planned protest over the “I Love Muhammad” issue was canceled. Tension exploded when the mob turned violent and attacked the police, pelting stones that injured 22 policemen. Scattered shoes and slippers covered the road—a grim reminder of the chaos that ensued.

This is the first major action against Tauqeer Raza—president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC)—in his 43-year-long criminal career. For decades, successive administrations avoided confronting him because of his deep political ties and his influence through the Aala Hazrat Dargah.

Illegal shops sealed, heavy fines imposed, and bulldozers roll through Bareilly

The clean-up drive did not stop at arrests. In October, the Power Corporation uncovered electricity theft at eight residences, including that of Mohsin Raza, a relative of Tauqeer Raza, and Samajwadi Party councillor Mohammad Nadeem. All were charged, leading to a combined penalty of ₹1.12 crore.

An illegal EV-charging station owned by Mohsin was dismantled, and he was served a bill for ₹1 crore 26 lakh. Recovery certificates followed: ₹15.39 lakh from Wasim Khan, ₹22.29 lakh from Monish Khan, ₹37.32 lakh from Barkan Raza Khan, ₹26.92 lakh from Aman Raja, and ₹26.57 lakh from Ghulam Nabi.

The marriage hall of Dr Nafees, a close aide of Tauqeer Raza, was demolished because it stood on government land. His shop, Khan Optical, was sealed as he had been operating it without a valid degree.

More than 200 unauthorized shops in Sailani Market were razed for encroaching on public property with illegal tin sheds. Near Novelty Square, where a dargah under the Waqf Board hosts a market of 37 shops, the entire complex was sealed because Tauqeer Raza allegedly exercised control over it despite lacking ownership.

Shopkeepers removed their goods and now sell them on the streets at slashed prices. A banner placed outside stated: “The tomb of Pehalwan Sahib and its associated property are managed by the Waqf Board, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow.” It continued, “This property is not owned by any private person or political entity. Any legal disputes concerning this matter are currently pending in the Allahabad High Court and the Lucknow Bench. All courts have granted stay orders in favor of the Waqf Board.”

This banner, installed by the secretary of the Intezamia Committee, directly challenged the Municipal Corporation’s decision. However, the government continued its campaign, sealing several key properties—Flora Garden (₹60 crore), Skylark Hotel (₹40 crore), Fahm Lawn (₹50 crore), and Mazar Market (₹25 crore).

Even more surprisingly, Tauqeer Raza himself received a recovery notice from the Badaun District Co-operative Bank for failing to repay an agricultural loan of ₹5,055 taken 35 years ago.

Strict action and possible NSA detention

According to Bareilly Range DIG Ajay Sahni, 84 arrests were made initially, later increasing to 88 by 8 October. He said, “The bank accounts of all perpetrators are under investigation to identify if they were receiving funds from external sources. The assistance of several departments is being sought for this inquiry.”

Officials are preparing to impose the National Security Act (NSA) on Tauqeer Raza, who is currently lodged in Fatehgarh Central Jail. Sahni added, “There are sufficient grounds to detain Maulana Tauqeer Raza under the NSA. Given his record and the city’s fragile situation, his presence in Bareilly is not appropriate.”

Authorities also requested that his court hearings be conducted through video conferencing to avoid security threats. The police are tightening surveillance on his aides after analyzing social-media videos and CCTV footage from the riots.

The Senior Superintendent of Police announced a reward of ₹15,000 each for seven absconding rioters. A warrant has also been sought against Tauqeer Raza in a 2019 CAA-NRC protest case.

So far, 12 FIRs have been filed—naming 125 identified and over 3,000 unidentified individuals. An SIT (Special Investigation Team) will probe all linked incidents.

Tauqeer Raza, implicated in ten cases, had urged people to gather at Islamia Ground after Friday prayers on 26 September to march to the Collectorate. Though he and his aides were under house arrest, the mob attempted to proceed, sparking clashes at four locations. Police resorted to batons and tear gas after stone-pelting and gunfire targeted officers.

Tauqeer Raza’s political network

Tauqeer Raza Khan, a cleric-turned-politician, hails from the Ala Hazrat family, descendants of Ahmed Raza Khan, founder of the Barelvi movement. As the first member of his family to enter politics, he established the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) in 2001.

In its debut election, his party won 10 municipal seats, and in 2009, he aligned with the Congress Party, helping its candidate defeat BJP leader Santosh Gangwar.

He was arrested during the 2010 Bareilly anti-Hindu riots, but political pressure ensured the case faded. During the 2012 Assembly elections, Raza supported the Samajwadi Party, which won the Bhojipura constituency; the SP government rewarded him with the post of Vice-President of the Handloom Corporation, which he later quit after the Muzaffarnagar riots.

By 2014, he shifted allegiance to Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and in 2015 founded the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (Jadeed)—cementing his role as one of north India’s most controversial Muslim leaders.

Tauqeer Raza stoked the 2010 Bareilly unrest

On 2nd March 2010, a large-scale riot erupted in Bareilly, triggered by a procession held on Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. The spark, as per reports, was Tauqeer Raza’s incendiary statement, which drove the violence forward. The first area attacked was Guddarbagh. From there, significant marketplaces and homes, including Koharapeer and Bada Bazaar, were set ablaze.

The unrest spread so widely that it became nearly impossible to count the exact number of houses and vehicles damaged. Offenders broke into numerous homes and assaulted innocent residents in multiple localities.

After four days, authorities arrested Maulana Tauqeer, concluding that he was the primary instigator of the violence. This arrest backfired politically. Muslim organisations warned that they would boycott Mayawati’s rallies, putting the BSP government’s support base in danger.

Within two days, he was granted bail, as the government quietly dropped the legal charges against him. But that did not silence him. He continued making offensive statements that incited more violence afterward.

The year’s disturbance also disrupted the 150-year-old custom of the Ram Barat procession, traditionally held around Holi. The city came under extended stress, and normal life took considerable time to return after the riots. A court later declared him the mastermind of the riots in March of last year.

He is reported to have declared, “I will shed rivers of blood of Hindus. I will set their (Hindu) homes and shops on fire,” as armed mobs attacked Hindu properties in a brutal spree.

Court findings showed that after his provocative speech, riots broke out across Bareilly. The court also expressed surprise that his name was not included in the chargesheet initially.

Tauqeer Raza’s controversial history

Over the years, Tauqeer Raza has repeatedly made statements and taken stances that inflamed communal tensions.

After the Supreme Court allowed Hindus to pray at Gyanvapi in 2024, he announced a “Fill the Jails” campaign. Soon after, violence flared in Bareilly: following Friday prayers, a large Muslim crowd took to the streets at his call. Protesters are said to have thrown stones at police, and some people were beaten.

He urged similar rhetoric after the Haldwani riots stemming from removal of encroachments. He claimed Muslims had the right to self-defence and even the right to murder those who persecuted them, accusing the courts of failing to protect the community.

In October 2024, he urged Muslims to gather at Ramlila Maidan to oppose Yati Narsinghanand. He claimed that five Hindu women would be publicly converted to Islam through nikkah that July. He said he had received 23 applications for conversion—from 15 women and 5 Hindu men.

Opposing the construction of Ram Mandir, he criticized awarding Bharat Ratna to L. K. Advani, warning that “If our youth go out of control, then no one can save India from a civil war.”

In December 2023, he called the Supreme Court’s temple verdict dishonest, insisting Muslims would not lose any mosques. On the Mathura and Kashi issue, he warned that no matter how many surveys were done, Muslims would not accept losses.

He also declared: “After Babri mosque, it is enough. We showed patience with Babri. We will not show any patience with Gyanvapi. Inshallah, this battle will be fought on the streets.”

In May 2023, he threatened that if the government did not act against those demanding India become a Hindu Rashtra, Muslims would demand an Islamic nation. He ignored that Bangladesh and Pakistan were already separate, historically considered Islamist states.

In April 2022, amid UP’s bulldozer action against criminals, he warned: “If this government continues to do such injustice, the countrywide Jail Bharo Andolan will become so big that it will be unable to contain it. The day Muslims come to the streets, one must understand that they will be uncontrollable. Therefore, I warn the government and Narendra Modi in particular that if he fails to correct this way of taking action with immediate effect,” especially targeting the BJP and central leadership.

These incidents are only a glimpse of how boldly he threatened governments and authorities while unleashing terror in public spaces without facing punishment. He believed—rightly, for many years—that no government would dare penalize him, given his political backing and street influence.

Yet today, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, no criminal — however connected — is being spared. The case of Tauqeer Raza shows that even long-standing power and influence are no shield from justice. After 43 years, he is finally being held accountable under a BJP-led administration in Uttar Pradesh.