The Allahabad High Court has declined to grant relief to two men accused of shouting the slogan “Sar tan se juda” during a procession held in Bareilly in support of the Kanpur “I Love Mohammad” incident.
A division bench comprising Justice Ajay Bhanot and Justice Garima Prasad on Monday dismissed the writ petition filed by Gauhar Khan and Shakib Jamal seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against them and a direction restraining the authorities from taking coercive action.
The case stems from violent clashes that broke out in Bareilly on September 26, when a crowd of over 2,000 people gathered outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers. The group reportedly took out a procession protesting the cancellation of a proposed demonstration over the “I Love Mohammad” poster controversy.
According to police records, the protest turned violent when participants began pelting stones, injuring several police personnel. The procession was also said to have been organised in solidarity with similar protests in Kanpur.
During the Bareilly procession, the petitioners — Gauhar Khan and Shakib Jamal — were allegedly heard raising the slogan “Sar tan se juda”. Following the incident, the police registered an FIR at the Cantonment police station under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
After hearing the submissions, the High Court refused to interfere with the ongoing criminal proceedings. It dismissed the plea seeking to quash the FIR and declined to issue any direction restraining coercive measures against the accused.
The case will now proceed before the trial court in accordance with law.
