The Uttar Pradesh anti-terror squad (UP ATS) has arrested 24-year-old Jibran Makrani from UP’s Jhansi city for issuing threats and attempting to incite people ahead of the Ram Mandir inauguration and Pran Pratishtha ceremony on 22nd January.
It was learnt that the X account through which the threats were issued was being run by a Hafiz Jibran Makrani, son of Israr Makrani from Jhansi.
According to a press note released on 3rd January by the UP ATS, cyber patrolling officials flagged an inciteful post on X, formerly Twitter, from the account of @jibranMakrani1. “We will not let go of a single masjid, if a masjid is snatched from us by force then be ready to face the consequences, Babri masjid is also ours and will always be ours,” the post read.
The press note read that the post clearly shows that it is intended to create communal disharmony, increase religious animosity and spread frenzy. The post was deleted by Jibran when he was first called for questioning. At the time he was not carrying his phone with him. When he returned with his phone, the X post was found to be deleted.
According to the FIR, Jibran said that he wanted his Muslim brothers to demolish the Ram Mandir and rebuild a grand Babri masjid again. He said that he was successful in achieving the goal behind his posts.
“Insha allah whenever I get the chance in the future too I will keep appealing my Muslim brothers through my Twitter (X) handle and other social media handles to avenge Babri masjid demolition against the kafir Hindus. I am proud of my work,” he said.
When questioned by the UP ATS about the post, Jibran said that he put out the post with the intention to take revenge for Babri masjid and for Muslim brothers to raze Ram Mandir to the ground. “Like our ancestors had done,” he said referring to the demolition of the Ram Mandir by Mughal tyrant Babur.
Data accessed from Jibran’s phone showed screenshots of posts by different people including posts on the demolition of Babri masjid, posts supporting terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel and posts supporting the Popular Front of India (PFI).
When questioned about the screenshots of such contentious posts, Jibran said that he is upset with the “atrocities against Muslim brothers” and that he reposts the contents of such screenshots on his X handle in order to promote wide and far the inciteful posts amongst his Muslim brothers.
Jibran Makrani has been arrested under Sections 153A / 505(2) and further investigation is underway. Meanwhile, one mobile phone and 3 sim cards have been recovered from him.
This comes a day after the UP Police Special Task Force (STF) apprehended two individuals for issuing bomb threats targeting the Shri Ram Temple, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and the chief of UP STF.
