Afzal Beg, personal secretary to Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, surrendered before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Bareilly on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in connection with the September 26 violence case, police confirmed. Carrying a ₹15,000 bounty, Beg, a former IMC office-bearer from Viharipur, Civil Lines, was accompanied by his lawyer and associates during the surrender and has been remanded to judicial custody.

The surrender follows the arrest of Mohsin Raza, a relative of the detained IMC chief, linked to the same unrest. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya noted that Beg had evaded capture, prompting a reward announcement and instructions to Kila police station in-charge Subhash Singh to ensure his apprehension. Despite prior intelligence about the surrender and police deployment outside the court, Beg managed a discreet entry with legal assistance. He is also wanted in a separate rioting case at Baradari police station, where authorities plan to seek his custody for questioning.

The violence in Bareilly erupted on September 26 after a dispute over posters reading ‘I Love Muhammad,’ leading to clashes between police and a crowd outside a mosque post-Friday prayers. Officials allege the unrest followed Khan’s call for a demonstration, denied by police, with IMC leaders accused of inciting riots under the guise of protests. The police response included a lathi charge to disperse stone-pelting protesters.

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Police have arrested several IMC figures, including Khan, spokesperson Nafees, former district president Nadeem Khan, social media in-charge Farhat Khan, city president Anees Saklani, founding member Moin Siddiqui, former district president Munir Idrishi, and district president Shamsad. SSP Arya stated that non-bailable warrants will soon be sought for remaining absconders, with potential increases in reward amounts and property attachment proceedings if they fail to appear, signaling a robust effort to address the communal unrest.

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