High drama erupted on Sunday after Mufti Salman Azhari, a resident of Vikhroli, was taken into custody by the Gujarat police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from his residence for allegedly making incendiary remarks on January 31 during a speech in Gujarat. Before he was transferred to Gujarat, hundreds of people, including some politicians, gathered outside the Ghatkopar police station, where he had been taken to finish legal formalities. They chanted that Azhari was God’s messenger and demanded that he be freed. This forced police officers to ask him to use a loudspeaker to ask them to keep the peace.
The standoff lasted well into the evening, and the officer in charge reported that the crowd and legal complications made it impossible for the Gujarat police to transport him to their state. According to the officer, an arrest might not be necessary because the section under which he was booked carries a sentence of less than seven years. At a program held on January 31 at Narayan Vidya Mandir, close to Junagadh court, which drew a sizable crowd, Mufti allegedly made an inflammatory speech. Following the viral video of the speech on social media, Gujarat police booked Azhari under sections 153 ( C ), 505 (2), 188, AND 114 of the Indian Penal Code and filed a suo moto FIR at the Junagadh police station.
Azhari wrote on X early on Sunday morning, saying that since the early hours of the day, about 25 to 30 police officers had surrounded his society. He was taken to the Ghatkopar police station after officers from the Chirag Nagar police station, the Mumbai ATS, AND THE Gujarat ATS broke into his home at midday and arrested him. Meanwhile, a large crowd started to assemble outside the Ghatkopar police station, demanding his release. The demonstrators were from Govandi, Chembur, Sakinaka, Vikhroli, Cheetah Camp, and Malad.
Participating in the demonstration was 26-year-old Govandi mobile accessory businessman Muhammad Talha, who declared, “We have faith in Mufti who works for Allah.” He embodies our ideals. We want him released by the police. After six o’clock, the throng began to grow, reaching a peak of about a thousand people. They blocked the entrance to the police station and the nearby road while yelling signs calling for Azhari’s release. We asked Azhari to ask the crowd to disperse when it appeared that things would get out of hand, according to an official. Then, through a loudspeaker on the second floor of the police station, Azhari addressed the crowd, pleading with them not to break the law and remove the roadblock.
In accordance with CrPC section 41(a), the police ought to issue him a notice before letting him go. According to a Sakinaka protester who asked to remain anonymous, he has a large following of people who are afraid that if the police bring him to Gujarat, they will capture him and not let him go.
To keep the crowd under control, about 200 members of the State Book Police Force were sent in. Police warned the crowd for five minutes before using mild force to disperse them at around 10:45 p.m. when they became hostile and stopped a bus on the road, according to officials.
