The Allahabad High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Altamas Khan, one of the accused in the Bareilly violence case that broke out last year.
Justice Ashutosh Srivastava on Monday allowed the anticipatory bail application, offering relief to Khan, who claims he was falsely implicated in the violent clash that left police officers injured and paralyzed parts of the city.
Defense Claims False Implication
During the high court proceedings, the counsel representing Altamas Khan strongly argued his client’s innocence, asserting that Khan had no involvement in the outbreak of violence.
The defense highlighted that Khan’s name was notably absent from the initial First Information Report (FIR) registered by the police. According to his legal representative, Khan was later falsely implicated in the criminal case without any substantive role in the incident.
How the Bareilly Violence Unfolded
The case stems from a tense sequence of events on September 26 last year, which began with a public call issued by Maulana Tauqeer Raza. Raza had called on members of a particular community to gather at Islamiya Inter College in Bareilly.
At the time, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were actively in force to maintain public order. Despite these restrictions, a crowd of approximately 500 people gathered and began marching from Maulana Azad Inter College toward Shyamganj Chauraha.
According to police reports, the advancing crowd carried boards and chanted provocative slogans. Local police officers on duty attempted to persuade and warn the demonstrators to disperse, but their appeals were ignored.
Escalation and Police Retaliation
The situation quickly spiraled out of control as the crowd grew aggressive and insisted on pushing forward through the police barricades.
The police alleged that members of the crowd began attacking law enforcement officers, throwing stones, brickbats, and bottles containing acid. Gunshots were also reportedly fired from within the mob toward the police personnel.
According to the official FIR, the ensuing chaos created an “atmosphere of terror” in the area. The physical confrontation resulted in the uniforms of police personnel being torn, and two officers sustained injuries. After failing to pacify the crowd through rational discourse, police authorities ultimately opened fire in self-defense to bring the situation under control.
With the High Court now granting anticipatory bail to Khan, focus shifts back to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the clash.
