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Dehradun: Protests against recruitment irregularities turn violent, 39 booked
Senior police superintendent DS Kunwar said unruly elements tried to disturb the law and order, used foul language, assaulted policemen, and vandalised public and private vehicles
Two cases of rioting and attempt to murder were registered against 39 people in Dehradun late on Thursday for alleged stone pelting and violence during a protest under the banner of Uttarakhand Berozgaar Sangh against irregularities in recruitments.
Senior police superintendent DS Kunwar said unruly elements tried to disturb the law and order, used foul language, assaulted policemen, and vandalised public and private vehicles. “...the protestors also threw stones at police with an intention to kill them...15 of them were left injured. Following the stone-throwing, the protestors caused a traffic jam, causing inconvenience to the public. Thirteen people who created a nuisance by provoking people were arrested from the spot. Few others were also detained and released later.”
State Unemployed Union head Bobby Panwar and two others have been named as accused in both cases.
Kunwar said they were also identifying others involved in the violence. “We will take action against the people who caused violence, obstructed public servants from discharging their duties, and damaged public property during their police verification for future recruitment examinations.”
Vidyabhushan Negi, the in charge of Dehradun’s Kotwali police station who is one of the complainants, said the district magistrate had imposed restrictions on gatherings as a preventive measure. “Around 10 am, around 150 protestors gathered near Gandhi Park. By 11:30 am, their number swelled to 1000. Around noon, the number of protestors crossed the 3500 mark. They blocked both sides of the road between Ashley Hall to Clock Tower. It caused inconvenience to the public which included the elderly, children, and the sick.”
He said ambulances and school buses were also stuck in the traffic jam. “Soon, they turned violent and started misbehaving and assaulting the general public. On our insistence for ending the protest, a delegation of five people was taken to hold talks with the Dehradun district magistrate and senior police superintendent.”
He added the protesters attacked shops and petrol pumps. “Amid the chaos, the general public started running away to save their lives from the violent mob. Around 3 pm, senior officials from police and district administration once again tried to persuade them but to no avail. The violent protestors turned over an auto rickshaw, following which the police personnel in presence of administrative officials used the necessary force to disperse the protestors for free flow of traffic.”
Negi said the protesters continued “anarchy” and around 4:30 pm, they started throwing stones at police personnel.
Vinod Bagiyal, the spokesperson for the Uttarakhand Berozgaar Sangh, said the allegations against them are baseless. “There could have been unruly elements in our protest who threw stones at the police personnel. They [the police] should identify and take action against them. We sought transparency in jobs...”
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the violence.
