17 arrested, 88 booked in Gujarat protests over ‘I Love Muhammad’ signboards

Following India-wide “I Love Muhammad” demonstrations, Gujarat police arrested 17 people and filed cases against over 80 others for allegedly vandalising a police station in Godhra, reports said.

The detained men, tied with ropes and bearing visible injuries, were paraded publicly, struggling to walk.

On September 20, supporters of local social media influencer Zakir Jhabha staged protests after he claimed he was assaulted in police custody, India Today reported. Jhabha had earlier been summoned for holding up an “I Love Muhammad” placard in a Facebook post, which authorities said could provoke communal unrest.

While police have not commented, India Today, quoting reports from multiple sources, suggests the arrests were linked to vandalism and the burning of official records inside the station. However, much of the online discourse has centered on the treatment of the detainees, with many condemning the public humiliation as excessive.

Similar cases have emerged across India. In Kanpur, youths carrying “I Love Muhammad” placards during Milad-un-Nabi processions were detained, sparking protests. In Mumbai, police removed such signs citing concerns over communal tensions.