Ahilyanagar: A demonstration against an “I Love Muhammad” graffiti painted on a road in Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, turned violent on Monday, with protesters resorting to stone-pelting and blocking roads. Authorities detained 30 individuals and arrested one suspect in connection with the unrest, reported the Madhyamam.
According to Ahilyanagar Superintendent of Police Somnath Gharge, the protest began after members of the Muslim community objected to the graffiti and filed a complaint at the local Kotwali police station. Despite the arrest, some demonstrators continued the agitation, prompting clashes with the police. Security personnel used lathi charges to disperse the crowd and restore order.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government will launch an investigation to ascertain whether the graffiti is part of a conspiracy aimed at disrupting social harmony and stoking communal polarization. “Everyone is free to practise their own religion, but not to indulge in polarisation,” he commented.
In response to the blocking of the arterial Ahilyanagar–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar road during demonstrations, law enforcement intervened forcefully to reinstate traffic.
The incident comes amid a wave of tensions linked to “I Love Muhammad” slogans, posters, and graffiti across multiple states. In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, clashes earlier erupted when police tried to prevent supporters from gathering with placards; the situation devolved into violence with stones hurled, slogans raised, and even gunfire reported. In that incident, the leader of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, and several associates were arrested.
