Uttarkashi police superintendent Amit Srivastava transferred within 3 months

The transfer came a month after 200 people were booked for allegedly assaulting and throwing stones at police personnel and ransacking Muslim shops

Uttarkashi police superintendent Amit Srivastava has been transferred within three months of his appointment, a month after 200 people were booked in the Uttarakhand town for allegedly assaulting and throwing stones at police personnel and ransacking Muslim shops during a protest against a five decades old mosque, which they call illegal. Three Hindu activists were also arrested for violating prohibitory orders during Srivastava’s stint.

The police officer was transferred amid tensions over a mosque in Uttarkashi . (AP)

Srivastava has been named superintendent of regional intelligence. Sarita Dobhal will replace him. Srivastava refused to comment, saying transfers are part of their job.

On September 24, violence erupted when the Hindu protesters insisted on moving beyond the barricading towards the mosque they threatened to demolish despite a defined route in the permission given to them for the rally. The protestors first scuffled with the police and then started stone throwing. The police used batons to disperse the crowd.

Police said the protestors ransacked four shops of the members of the Muslim community and made provocative speeches against them. Eight policemen were injured in the incident.

A case was registered against eight named and 200 unidentified people under charges such as attempts to murder, rioting, molestation, etc. The development came on the day the state government told the Uttarakhand high court that it has not given any permission for any rally against the mosque.