Overview
- Police registered the first case on March 7 at Kotwali Nagar police station in Balrampur following a complaint by BJP district president Ravi Kumar Mishra.
- Additional complaints by BJP leaders and workers in other districts prompted more FIRs naming Maulana Abdul (Abdullah) Salim.
- Cases cite provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 352 and Section 353(2) related to public mischief and enmity‑creating statements.
- Officers said they are reviewing video from a Bihar religious gathering to confirm the statements attributed to the cleric, including alleged attempts to stir opposition to UP’s anti‑cow slaughter rules.
- Protests spread to Lucknow and other areas with effigy burnings and demands for action by seers and BJP figures, while no arrest had been announced as of the latest reports.