'I Love Muhammad' campaign arrests sparks brief tension between 2 communities in Jalandhar

Jalandhar: Tension briefly gripped Punjab's Jalandhar on Friday as members of two communities clashed as one group went to submit a memorandum to authroities over the arrests linked to the "I Love Muhammad" campaign in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly.

Police said the incident occurred when members of one of the community, gathered under the banner of an organisation, staged a march to protest arrests made by the Uttar Pradesh Police in Bareilly in connection with the "I love Muhammad" campaign, including that of a local cleric.

After the march when the group assembled to submit a memorandum to the police commissioner, an argument broke out with a youth from another community who was passing by on a scooter.

The protesters alleged he raised religious slogans, while the youth claimed he was stopped, assaulted and his scooter keys were taken away before being rescued by locals.

Later in the evening, some local Hindu community leaders held a protest. Police registered an FIR based on the youth's statement against unidentified persons, covering offences including wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt and act intended to outrage religious feelings.

After the incident, Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantt, Pargat Singh, appealed to all communities to maintain peace and brotherhood, saying Punjab has always lived in harmony, and no one will be allowed to disturb this unity.

He urged everyone to cooperate with the administration and ensure calm, saying let the law take its own course in the incident.