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A birthday party hosted by a nursing student in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, turned tense after members of a right-wing organisation entered a café and accused two Muslim students of 'love jihad'. The incident happened on Saturday night in the Prem Nagar area of the city and was captured on video, which later spread online.

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The party was organised by a first-year BSc Nursing student to celebrate her birthday with friends. What began as a simple gathering quickly escalated into chaos, leading to police intervention and legal action.

According to police, the birthday party was attended by ten people, five women and four men, along with the host. Among the four men present, two were Muslim youths identified as Shan and Waqif. The celebration took place at a café in Prem Nagar, where the group had gathered to mark the occasion.

There was no complaint from the café management or any guest before the disruption occurred.

Right-wing activists barge into café

Police said some members of the Bajrang Dal reached the café after learning that Muslim youths were present with a Hindu woman. The group barged into the restaurant, disrupted the party, raised slogans and accused the two Muslim youths of being involved in “love jihad”.

Videos from the scene show a heated atmosphere, with shouting and arguments. In one clip, police personnel can be seen struggling to control the situation, including a brief tussle involving the woman student.

Police intervention and questioning

After receiving information, officials from Prem Nagar police station reached the spot and brought the student and others to the police station for questioning. Initially, one of the Muslim youths was taken into custody, while the other left the spot and could not be found immediately.

The student’s relatives, including her aunt who lives in Prem Nagar, were informed. Police also contacted the families of the other attendees to clarify the situation.

Police find nothing objectionable

Station House Officer Raj Bali said the student lived in a hostel in Prem Nagar and was studying BSc Nursing at a private college. He confirmed that the student had organised the party herself and that police did not find anything objectionable during the inquiry.

Despite this, police initially prepared a challan for breach of peace against one Muslim youth, Shan, and a café staff member named Shailendra Gangwar.

Second youth traced, challans issued

Later, police learnt that the second Muslim youth, Waqif, had left the area. Circle Officer First Ashutosh Shivam launched a search and traced him.

“All three, the two youths and the café staffer, were challaned on Sunday for disturbing the peace,” the officer said. He added that the situation was now under control.

Notably, the members of the right-wing group who disrupted the party were persuaded by police and sent away. No case was registered against them.

Incident raises questions

The incident has triggered debate online, especially after videos showed police action against the students while the activists who caused the disturbance faced no legal action. The case has once again highlighted tensions around allegations of “love jihad” and the handling of such situations by authorities.

Ending note

What began as a birthday celebration ended in distress for young students who say they were simply meeting friends. While police say peace has been restored, the incident continues to spark discussion about personal freedom, policing and public order.