Police have arrested Muhammad Mazhar Ansari, identified as the key person behind Haidari Dal’s online activity. The Kotwali police took him into custody from the Purana Roadways area and later presented him before the court. Police said Ansari was running several internet media accounts under the name of Hydari Dal and using them to post inflammatory content on different platforms.
Haidari Dal के सबसे बडे सोशल मीडिया एकाउण्ट के मास्टर माइण्ड के द्वारा भडकाऊ पोस्ट कर साम्प्रदायिक सौहार्द बिगाड़ने वाले तथा फेक न्यूज फैलाने वाले अभियुक्त को थाना कोतवाली, #bareillypolice द्वारा किया गया गिरफ्तार। #UPPolice pic.twitter.com/OmPkXvkZxR
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) January 16, 2026
Investigators said that when police earlier sent some people to jail for posting such content under the Haidari Dal name, Ansari changed the names of his accounts to “Aiz on Muslim Girls”. During checks, police found that he had changed the account names many times in the past to continue posting. Several active accounts were traced back to his mobile phone.
Videos edited and shared as news
During the investigation, police found that Ansari would pick videos from other incidents available on the internet, edit them and upload them again as news. This was done in a way that made people believe the videos were real and recent. Police also recovered videos related to disturbances in Bareilly, along with clips showing police officers’ statements, from the accounts linked to him.
Mazhar Ansari is originally from Champadah village in Giridih district of Jharkhand. During questioning, he told police that he studied up to Class 10 in his village. His father is a farmer, and he has three brothers and one sister. He is the second among the siblings.
He also spoke about his work history. Earlier, he worked at Place Cafe in Ghutali, Bengaluru, where he made momos until April last year. In October, he moved to Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh and worked as a helper at Pulwacharu Restaurant. Since 4th December, he had been working at Jamaluddin’s shop in Delhi, again making momos.
Police action since Eid
Police teams have been taking continuous action against Haidari Dal since Eid, after the group came into focus. According to officials, young men using the group’s name were harassing Muslim women and non-Muslim men, misbehaving with them and violating their privacy by recording videos. These videos were then shared online.
The issue first surfaced when videos began circulating from Gandhi Udyan in Bareilly. Police said they acted in time and took strict steps against those involved.
What is Haidari Dal
Haidari Dal is an informal vigilante group that operates across multiple cities. The group claims to be protecting Islam and the sanctity of the burqa, but its members have been seen questioning and harassing Muslim women who are with non-Muslim men, as well as non-Muslim men accompanying them. Several videos showing such confrontations have surfaced on social media, where girls are questioned about their names, addresses and family details.
Many of these videos were shared through an Instagram page called “Haidari Dal Official”, which has now been taken down. The group used social media to carry out moral policing and spread fear. Officials said the arrest of Muhammad Mazhar Ansari is an important step in stopping such activity and tracing others involved.
