Curfew in Haldwani locality after communal tension over demolition of madrasa
Police have been ordered to deal strictly with unruly elements and shoot rioters on sight, the state government said in a statement
HALDWANI/DEHRADUN: Curfew was imposed and an order to shoot rioters was issued on Thursday in the Banbhulpura area of Haldwani town in Uttarakhand following communal tension that erupted over the demolition of a madrasa and an “underground mosque-like structure”, people familiar with the matter said.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who convened an emergency meeting over the communal flare-up in Nainital district’s Haldwani town, reviewed the situation with top officers including chief secretary Radha Raturi and director general of police Abhinav Kumar, a government statement later said.
Nainital district administration has imposed a curfew in the Banbhulpura area in Haldwani and all roads leading to the Banbhulpura area have been blocked. Police have been ordered to deal strictly with unruly elements and shoot rioters on sight, the state government said in a statement after Dhami’s review meeting.
Dhami has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.
The communal tension erupted after a joint team of the district administration and the local civic body demolished a madrasa and an underground mosque-like structure built illegally on government land.
The crackdown came after at least a dozen people were injured and over a dozen properties, including a police station, were allegedly set ablaze in the Banbhulpura.
“Soon after a demolition drive began to remove the encroachments from the government land, the protesting residents pelted stones at the police and civic body officials… During the clash, several police and district administration officials were also injured,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.
“The protesters also set the police vehicles and barricades on fire and created a ruckus in the area,” said the official.
Richa Singh, city magistrate and joint secretary of district-level development authority said “The madrasa and an underground mosque-like structure, which were built illegally on government land, were sealed on Saturday night”.
Singh said a joint team of Haldwani municipal corporation, district administration and police went to the Malik Ka Bagicha area in Banbhulpura to demolish the illegal structures on Thursday.
When the team reached there to take action, an angry crowd gathered there, said Richa Singh.
“The protesters torched several vehicles and pelted stones on the team. Dozens of people have been injured in the incident. They also gheraoed the Bhanbulpura police station and set it on fire. Right now, it is difficult to give the exact numbers”.
Inspector general of police Nilesh Anand Bharne, who is the spokesperson for the state police, said the deployment of paramilitary forces has been sanctioned. “They are on their way to the spot. Dozens of policemen have been injured.”
Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar said, “The situation is under control. We have video footage of the incident..rioters will be identified and strict action will be taken against them.”
Another official said the Haldwani municipal corporation had issued notice to an illegal occupant of the property, Abdul Malik on January 29, who was directed “to vacate the encroachment and remove the illegal constructions by February 4”, failing which municipal corporation will raze the illegal constructions.
“On February 3, Muslim representatives and Imams held a meeting with civic body officials in Haldwani where they had heated arguments with the municipality and administration officials,” said a person familiar with the developments. A request to cancel the demolition plan was rejected at this meeting.