MEERUT, Sept. 27 -- Tensions flared in Bareilly after Friday prayers when several protestors gathered near the Naumahla Mosque and at other places in support of the 'I Love Muhammad' campaign on the call of a local cleric and Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza. Hundreds of people from the Muslim community took to the streets in different parts of the city carrying posters and banners bearing the slogan. Large crowds gathered outside the cleric's residence and near the mosque, both in the Kotwali area, with people expressing anger over the last-minute suspension of the protest due to denial of permission by local authorities, said police. Police attempted to disperse the crowd which gathered outside the mosque, but the angry protesters began pelting stones, prompting the police to use force. Visuals on social media and TV news channels purportedly showed locals clashing with the police, armed with batons, even as senior officers reached the spot to take stock of the situation. The situation turned volatile near Khalil higher secondary school when some miscreants began vandalising vehicles. Police intervened and resorted to a baton charge to disperse the crowd, leading to chaos and panic. Authorities also placed Maulana Tauqeer Raza, chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), under house arrest ahead of the demonstration. Raza made a last-minute announcement to call off the demonstration, saying the authorities did not grant permission for it. On Thursday, the cleric had warned that the demonstration would go ahead "at any cost", said sources. In Shyamganj, a heated argument ensued when the police attempted to stop the protestors. Despite the intervention, the crowd marched ahead in a procession, shouting slogans. Shops in the area were forcibly shut down by police as a precautionary measure. Large gatherings were also reported outside the Naumahla Mosque, where protestors raised slogans before some moved towards Khalil School and indulged in vandalism. Following Raza's call for a peaceful protest, the police had already stepped up vigilance from Thursday evening. Islamia Ground and Bihari Pur were turned into heavily fortified zones on Friday morning with barricades and heavy deployment along Shyamganj Mandi Road. The Sailani area remained closed. Despite the security, after the prayers, groups of people came out in a procession that eventually turned unruly in some areas. Earlier in the day, Raza released a video denying media reports of "planned violence". He alleged that the police administration, in collusion with informers, had conspired to tarnish the movement. "Our announcement will be carried out as planned. We will offer Friday prayers at Naumahla Mosque and then peacefully submit a memorandum to the President through the district magistrate regarding our grievances. Our programme is entirely peaceful," he stated. DIG (Bareilly) AK Sahni said: "Since early morning, law enforcement authorities had been actively engaging with the public, urging them to conduct prayers peacefully and return home afterwards. Approximately 90% to 95% of individuals complied, praying in a peaceful manner and dispersing as requested. However, a group of agitators suddenly emerged, engaging in violent acts, including stone-pelting and firing. Comprehensive video and photographic evidence of the incident was captured." Sahni confirmed that Friday prayers were conducted peacefully, but admitted that "a few miscreants tried to disturb the atmosphere" before being chased away. The police said the situation is currently under control, and some of the stone pelters have been identified and taken into custody. "Authorities apprehended several individuals. These disturbances occurred at three or four locations, resulting in injuries to over 10 police officers. Investigations suggest a pre-meditated conspiracy, as a large number of individuals appeared abruptly, seemingly prepared for confrontation. No authorization was granted for such a gathering," added Sahni. The controversy dates back to September 9 when police in Kanpur filed an FIR against nine named and 15 unidentified persons for allegedly installing boards with 'I Love Muhammad' written on them on a public road in Kanpur during a Barawafat procession on September 4....