Gujarat ATS detains Mufti for ‘hate speech’; supporters gather at station
On Sunday, a dramatic situation emerged as the Gujarat police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) apprehended Mufti Salman Azhari from his residence in Vikhroli. Azhari was detained over purportedly inflammatory statements made during a speech in Gujarat on January 31st.
In Mumbai, a tense situation arose on Sunday when the Gujarat police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Mufti Salman Azhari, a resident of Vikhroli, at his residence. Azhari was apprehended for reportedly making inflammatory comments during a speech in Gujarat on January 31st.
Hundreds of individuals, including politicians, congregated outside the Ghatkopar police station, where Mufti Salman Azhari was brought for procedural formalities before being transferred to Gujarat. They chanted slogans hailing Azhari as a messenger of God and demanding his release, prompting police officials to use a loudspeaker to urge them to maintain peace. The tense situation persisted late into the night, with a police officer remarking that it was challenging for the Gujarat police to transfer Azhari due to the crowd and legal complexities. “The offenses he is charged with carry a punishment of less than seven years, so immediate arrest may not be necessary,” stated the officer.
Mufti delivered a speech on January 31 during an event at Narayan Vidya Mandir near Junagadh court, which allegedly contained inflammatory content and was attended by a significant audience. Following the circulation of a video of the speech on social media, the Gujarat police took suo moto action and filed an FIR at the Junagadh police station. Azhari was charged under sections 153 (C), 505 (2), 188, and 114 of the Indian Penal Code.
On Sunday morning, Azhari shared on X that approximately 25-30 policemen had surrounded his residential complex since the early hours. By noon, authorities from Gujarat ATS, Mumbai ATS, and the Chirag Nagar police station, which oversees his locality, forcibly entered his residence, detained him, and transported him to Ghatkopar police station, according to officials.
Simultaneously, residents from various areas including Govandi, Chembur, Sakinaka, Vikhroli, Cheetah Camp, and Malad began assembling outside the Ghatkopar police station in significant numbers, expressing their opposition and demanding Azhari’s release. Mohammad Talha, a 26-year-old businessman dealing in mobile accessories from Govandi who participated in the demonstration, stated, “We have unwavering faith in Mufti, who serves Allah. He is our role model. We urge the police to set him free.”
As the evening progressed, the crowd swelled, peaking at around a thousand individuals. They chanted slogans demanding Azhari’s release and obstructed both the entrance to the police station and the adjacent road.
“When it appeared that the situation might escalate beyond control, we urged Azhari to address the crowd and appeal for calm,” stated an official. Azhari then spoke to the gathering from the second floor of the police station via a loudspeaker, urging them not to resort to vigilante actions and to clear the roadblock.
“The police should issue him a notice under section 41(a) of the CrPC and release him. He has numerous followers who are concerned that if the police take him to Gujarat, he might be arrested and not released,” voiced a protester from Sakinaka, who wished to remain anonymous.
Approximately 200 personnel from the State Reserve Police Force were mobilized to manage the crowd. At approximately 10:45pm, when the demonstrators grew confrontational and halted a bus on the roadway, authorities employed minimal force to disperse the assembly, having issued a warning for five minutes beforehand, as per officials.
