India 'I Love Muhammad' Mass Prosecutions
India has increasingly criminalized Muslim religious expression, culminating in the 2025 'I Love Muhammad' crackdown. When Muslims in Kanpur displayed devotional signboards during Eid Milad-un-Nabi (Prophet Muhammad's birthday), police filed FIRs under charges of 'promoting enmity between groups.' The crackdown spread nationwide — by October 2025, APCR documented 4,505 Muslims officially charged and 265 arrested across multiple BJP-governed states. In Bareilly, 75 were arrested and at least four properties bulldozed as collective punishment. The pattern extends beyond the signboards: 90+ Muslims arrested in Assam for social media posts after Operation Sindoor, 2,800 detained after the Pahalgam attack, and opposition politicians held under the National Security Act for speech. The Delhi High Court rejected a challenge to the FIRs, while courts elsewhere quashed individual detentions as unconstitutional.
Timeline
November 29, 2025
Gauhati High Court Quashes NSA Detention of MLA Aminul Islam
The Gauhati High Court struck down the NSA detention of AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam, ordering his immediate release after over six months in custody. The ruling found the NSA application improper, highlighting the pattern of using preventive detention laws against Muslim politicians for speech.
SourceOctober 21, 2025
Delhi High Court Rejects Petition Challenging 'I Love Muhammad' FIRs
The Delhi High Court dismissed a PIL seeking investigation into FIRs lodged against Muslims for 'I Love Muhammad' posters, rejecting allegations of anti-Muslim bias. APCR announced plans to challenge the crackdown in the Supreme Court, noting the outcome could set precedent on whether devotional expression can be criminalized.
SourceOctober 5, 2025
Crackdown Expands: 4,505 Muslims Charged, 265 Arrested Nationwide
By early October, APCR's expanded findings showed approximately 4,505 Muslims officially charged and 265 arrested nationwide in connection with 'I Love Muhammad' expressions — 87 in UP, 17 in Gujarat, 7 in Uttarakhand, and 89 in Bareilly alone. Protests spread to Telangana, Maharashtra, and Jammu and Kashmir.
SourceSeptember 30, 2025
Maulana Mohsin Raza Arrested, Resort Bulldozed in Bareilly
Police arrested Maulana Mohsin Raza, son-in-law of Tauqeer Raza, in connection with the protests. His resort was sealed and targeted by bulldozer teams. Rights groups condemned the demolitions as collective punishment, noting the Supreme Court had ruled demolitions cannot be used as extrajudicial punishment.
SourceSeptember 26, 2025
Bareilly Protest Clashes Lead to 75 Arrests and Bulldozer Demolitions
A demonstration in Bareilly against the Kanpur arrests erupted into clashes. Authorities arrested 75 people including Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza. The Bareilly Development Authority subsequently bulldozed at least four properties belonging to the accused, claiming they were illegal constructions.
SourceSeptember 23, 2025
APCR Documents 21 FIRs Naming 1,324 Muslims Across India
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights documented at least 21 FIRs naming 1,324 people with 38 arrests in connection with the 'I Love Muhammad' movement across multiple BJP-governed states. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah publicly condemned the UP police action.
SourceSeptember 10, 2025
Kanpur Police File FIR Against Muslims for 'I Love Muhammad' Board
Police registered an FIR against 9 named Muslims and 15 unidentified individuals for displaying the signboard. Charges included Section 196 BNS (promoting enmity between groups, non-bailable) and Section 299 BNS (outraging religious feelings). The FIR triggered a viral solidarity campaign and nationwide protests.
SourceSeptember 6, 2025
30 Muslim Youths Including Minors Arrested During Milad Procession
UP police arrested approximately 30 Muslim youths, including minor madrasa students, during an Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession in Firozabad. Videos showed the detained youths forced to hold their ears in a public shaming gesture, which was filmed and circulated by authorities.
SourceSeptember 4, 2025
'I Love Muhammad' Signboard in Kanpur Sparks Nationwide Controversy
During Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations, Muslims in Kanpur displayed illuminated boards reading 'I Love Muhammad.' Hindu residents objected and called police, who removed the signboard after hours of confrontation. This incident became the flashpoint for a nationwide crackdown on Muslim religious expression.
SourceMay 15, 2025
Opposition MLA Detained Under NSA Moments After Receiving Bail
Assam's AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam was re-arrested under the National Security Act moments after receiving bail on sedition charges related to remarks about the Pahalgam attack. The Gauhati High Court later quashed his detention in November 2025.
SourceMay 7, 2025
Operation Sindoor Sparks Mass Arrests for Social Media Posts in Assam
Following India's military strikes on Pakistan, Assam authorities arrested over 90 Muslims for social media posts deemed 'pro-Pakistan.' Over 90% of those arrested were Muslim. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly boasted of jailing '81 anti-nationals for sympathising with Pakistan.'
SourceApril 22, 2025
Pahalgam Attack Triggers Mass Detention of Muslims
Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians, authorities detained approximately 2,800 individuals including journalists, activists, and ordinary Muslims. Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti described it as 'collective punishment,' with nearly 100 people charged under the Public Safety Act allowing detention without trial for up to two years.
SourceJune 14, 2024
UAPA Prosecution Sanctioned Against Arundhati Roy
Delhi's Lieutenant Governor approved prosecution of celebrated writer Arundhati Roy and Kashmiri academic Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the UAPA for comments at a 2010 conference on Kashmir. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged India to drop the cases, calling the use of anti-terror law against speech acts deeply concerning.
SourceAugust 15, 2022
Muslim Activist Arrested Under NSA for Criticizing Bulldozer Demolitions
Madhya Pradesh police arrested Muslim activist Zaid Pathan under the National Security Act for criticizing the bulldozer demolition of Muslim properties in Khargone. The case established a precedent for using the NSA against Muslim critics of 'bulldozer justice.'
SourceQuick Stats