On April 14, Karnataka Police arrested 32-year-old former Davangere municipal corporator and Congress leader Ahammad Kabir Khan for inciting mass violence over the recently amended Waqf Act. Khan had posted a video on April 8 that quickly went viral, in which he was seen urging Muslims to engage in violent protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. In the video, he called on Muslim youth to take to the streets, destroy public property, and “sacrifice lives” as a means of opposing the legislation.
“Let 8–10 Die in Every Town” – A Call for Violence
Ahammad Kabir Khan’s incendiary speech ignited nationwide outrage when a video of his comments went viral on April 8. In the two-minute video, recorded at an undisclosed location, Khan dismissed the idea of “peaceful protests” as ineffective. He urged his audience to abandon non-violent methods, stating, “Holding banners and submitting petitions won’t help. Set fire to buses and trains, let a few people sacrifice their lives.” He further incited violence by saying, “There must be sacrifice; in every town, 8–10 people must die. There must be 50–100 cases filed; all this must happen.”
Ahammad Kabir Khan, a resident of Azad Nagar in Davangere, Karnataka, added that the violence should not be spontaneous but meticulously planned, saying, “This isn’t something to be done casually – it must be planned. Heads must be broken, and everything must be destroyed. Do whatever you must, the Waqf will stand with you.” After the video sparked outrage, Kabir Khan went into hiding and switched off his phone. Azad Nagar police took immediate action, registering an FIR and launching a manhunt. He was eventually arrested, presented before the court, and remanded to judicial custody.
An FIR was registered on April 8, 2025, based on the complaint filed by police constable Venkatesha. The charges were filed under Sections 3(5), 352, 353(1)(b), 353(1)(c), 353(2), and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
कर्नाटक के कांग्रेस पार्षद कबीर ख़ान का भड़काऊ बयान#Waqf #BlackAndWhiteOnAajTak @anjanaomkashyap pic.twitter.com/u2cl098eqx
— AajTak (@aajtak) April 11, 2025
The FIR stated that in the viral video, Khan strongly opposed the Waqf Bill 2025, claiming that holding protests or submitting petitions to Deputy Commissioners or the Chief Minister would be ineffective. Instead, he urged Muslims to be prepared to make sacrifices and declared that there must be deaths in every town. He urged his followers to take action without fear of the consequences, encouraging them to remain undeterred by potential police intervention. Khan emphasized that merely protesting or shouting slogans was insufficient; there had to be actual destruction. He reassured his audience that the Waqf would stand behind those who participated in such acts, urging them to do whatever was necessary to express their anger, even if it involved setting fire to and destroying everything in sight.
Police Issue Public Warning
After the video went viral, authorities warned citizens against circulating the video or any related provocative content. The Davangere police issued a public advisory, stating, “Strict legal action will be taken against those who share or forward inflammatory material related to the Waqf Bill or other sensitive matters.”
