MEERUT: Plans for hundreds of weddings in Bareilly have been thrown into disarray after the district administration on Monday sealed seven banquet halls and farmhouses over alleged illegal encroachment. The crackdown followed clashes between police and protesters of the “I Love Muhammad” campaign last Friday.A senior Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the sealed properties largely belonged to members of the minority community, many of them linked to Maulana Tauqueer Raza Khan, chief of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, who was arrested for allegedly calling a gathering at Islamia Ground to support the campaign. The administration had denied permission for the gathering both verbally and in writing, which triggered the clashes.

BDA secretary Deepak Kumar said, “These establishments were built illegally, flouting approved maps and building guidelines. Notices were issued, but none were responded to. We checked and verified all documents before taking this step. If anyone has genuine documents, they can still submit them. The owners have three days to file objections.”The sealed venues, including Flora Garden, Jalsa Green, Faham Lawn, Arish Marriage Hall, Mannat and Hum Safar, had bookings for over 600 weddings in the coming months. Owners said spaces that once brimmed with lights and music now stand locked and deserted.Arshad Khan, manager of Arish Hotels Chain, said, “We are fully complying with the authorities’ directives. All bookings stand cancelled for now, and upcoming weddings at our venues are uncertain. Around 400 people had booked our hotels for weddings over the next five months.”The move has caused panic among families who paid hefty advances for these sought-after venues, with many bookings running into Feb. “My wedding was planned at Flora Garden for Oct 24, but its sealing has created a huge problem. We are now looking for another venue since most halls are already booked,” said Mohd Qasim, a trader from Baradari.A father from Katra, whose daughter’s wedding was booked at Farm Lawn, said, “The invitation cards are already printed with the venue. Now relatives are calling and asking where the wedding will be. We have no answer.”With few options left, families are scrambling to host ceremonies in courtyards with temporary tents or rushing to secure alternative venues, most of which are already overbooked. “If the seal is removed in time, we will hold the wedding there; otherwise, we will have to face difficulties,” said Manish Kumar, a resident of Sanjay Nagar.