Indian government asks states to identify pro-Iran radicals; warns of potential unrest amid Iran-US conflict

Visuals from the Iran-US-Israel conflict

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has written to states cautioning against possible violence in India in the wake of the Israel-US strikes against Iran, officials said.

According to officials, the letter was circulated on February 28 and asked states to identify “pro-Iran radical preachers giving inflammatory sermons,” ANI reported.

Demonstrations erupted across parts of Delhi following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint strike said to have been carried out by Israel and the United States. Authorities heightened security measures in several areas of the capital as people gathered to express grief and voice anger over the development.

At Jantar Mantar, members of the All India Shia Council came together for a protest, many clad in black to signify mourning. As attendance swelled, Shia clerics addressed the crowd from a raised platform. Protesters raised slogans of “America Murdabad” and “Netanyahu Murdabad,” which rang out across the venue.

In Lucknow, large gatherings were reported in the Sahadatganj police station area and near the Chhota Imambara. Women led a significant protest in the city, with many seen weeping as they condemned the killing.

Protests also erupted in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. The demonstrations were reported in Srinagar, Sonawari, and Bandipora, areas with large Shia populations, where hundreds of men and women marched peacefully carrying pictures of Khamenei and chanting anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.

“Shias are not scared of martyrdom. We are with Rehbar Khamenei and out on streets in solidarity with them,” a female protester in Baramulla told reporters, reflecting the community’s grief and anger over the killing.