Uttar Pradesh opposition leader Mata Prasad Pandey was barred from visiting Bareilly by police

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Assembly leader of opposition and SP MLA Mata Prasad Pandey on Saturday said that police had barred him and a Samajwadi Party delegation from visiting Bareilly, where tensions have been high following the recent “I Love Mohammad” row.Local police personnel have been stationed outside Pandey’s residence. A delegation from the Samajwadi Party, led by Mata Prasad Pandey, was scheduled to visit Bareilly today.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Pandey stated that police served him a notice instructing him to remain at home and not proceed to Bareilly. “A delegation led by me was going there (to Bareilly). I was given a notice by the police, and the inspector told me I had to stay home and not leave. If the collector had written, I would have accepted it. Then, a letter came from the Bareilly DM. He also said that your arrival would spoil the atmosphere here, so you should not come here.“

“To hide their own shortcomings, they are not allowing us to go there. We will now talk to our party members and decide accordingly,” Pandey added.This development follows a volatile situation in Bareilly, where protests over “I Love Mohammad” posters on September 26 turned violent.In response, the Bareilly administration suspended mobile internet and broadband services for 48 hours, from 3 pm on October 2 to 3 pm on October 4.A group of people had assembled outside Ala Hazrat Dargah and the residence of Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, carrying “I Love Mohammad” placards. After Friday prayers, protestors reportedly pelted stones at police during the demonstration.Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police also conducted flag marches in Kanpur to maintain peace during Friday prayers. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ashutosh Kumar Singh stated that the situation remained under control. “There is no disorder of any kind here… Police are deployed everywhere.”In connection with the September 26 protests in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) National General Secretary Nafees Khan and his son Farman Khan, bringing the total arrests in the case to 81.According to police, Farman used to manage IMC’s Facebook page. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bareilly Anurag Arya stated that Nafees and his son disclosed that “everyone was involved in the conspiracy”.(With agency inputs)