An imam in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh was booked by police for allegedly collecting donations for suffering families in Palestine.

A case was registered against Maulana Zaki, who works in the Jama Masjid in Sherkot city, after a local alleged that threats were circulating about a fatwa against those who did not donate.

Zaki has denied making any such threats, but he hasn’t been able to give a proper statement owing to his poor health, The Observer Post reported.

Questioning the UP police’s discriminatory treatment, local Muslims have rallied around the imam for support. According to them, Hindu-run donation drives see no such persecution. Others expressed confusion, asking what the imam’s crime was in asking for help for the oppressed.

The incident has invoked fear and anxiety for the Muslims in the region, many of whom have been gathering funds to help Gaza aid efforts, pulling out of their savings or limited monthly allowances. 

Locals familiar with the imam alleged that the case was filed under pressure from right-wing affiliated groups. Several recent incidents in Uttar Pradesh have seen Muslims penalised for showing solidarity with Palestinians.