A 30-year-old man from Bareilly was arrested on Saturday for posting hate-filled messages on social media, including threats to rape Hindu women, blow up the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and disrupt the Mahakumbh-2025, along with targeting chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
According to Bareilly circle officer Pankaj Srivastava, Maizan Raza, the son of a snack shop owner, was apprehended following a tip-off by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader KK Shankdhar.
Raza, who is reportedly illiterate, had falsely claimed to have studied at a well-known school in Bareilly on his social media profiles.
Srivastava said that the police acted swiftly after Shankdhar flagged the issue to additional director general of police Ramit Sharma on Friday night. The accused was located and arrested within 12 hours.
Raza has been charged under relevant sections for promoting hatred and offending religious sentiments. He had posted five separate messages making violent and derogatory threats.
In a video recorded while in police custody, Raza was seen apologising for his actions, vowing not to make such offensive comments again.