Four people died and over 100, primarily police personnel, were injured in Uttarakhand's Haldwani after violence broke out on Thursday over the demolition of an "illegally-built" madrasa and an adjoining mosque.
According to officials, residents set vehicles and a police station on fire and hurled stones. Besides police personnel, municipal workers involved in the demolition work were also injured. A curfew was imposed at Haldwani, a major city in Nainital district. A shoot-at-sight order has been issued against rioters in the city. Schools have also been shut.
Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Meena said the madrasa and the mosque stood on illegally encroached government land. A court order was issued to demolish the structure, following which municipal workers arrived at the location. A heavy presence of police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel was also present.
However, angry residents, including women, in large numbers descended on the streets to protest the action as the demolition of the two structures began. They were seen breaking barricades and arguing with the police personnel engaged in the demolition exercise.
As a bulldozer razed the madrasa and the mosque, mobs hurled stones at the police personnel, municipal corporation workers and journalists, PTI quoted officials.
Though the police tried to disperse the irate mob by resorting to a mild lathi charge and bursting of teargas shells, tension escalated. The mob set fire to several vehicles, including a police patrol car. By late evening, the mob had set ablaze the the Banbhoolpura Police Station. A curfew was imposed following this.
Heavy machinery being used to demolish an "illegally built" madrasa at Banbhoolpura area in Haldwani | PTI
Nainital district magistrate Vandana told Hindustan Times that shots were fired outside the Banbhoolpura police station. "In response, the police fired in the air. Three to four people were brought dead at hospitals who had sustained bullet injuries. The identification of the deceased is being done. We will have to wait to ascertain whether they have died in the police firing or firing by people among them," the DM said.
She added that the policemen prevented the rioters from entering the police station. "The violence then spread to Gandhi Nagar area near Banbhoolpura," she said, adding that the violence was pre-planned and unprovoked and stones were stored beforehand at homes. "The rioters even used petrol bombs," she added.
According to the DM, the situation is now under control. The violence in Banbhoolpura wasn't allowed to spread to the main city. "Paramilitary forces have also been deployed in the area and more are on their way. Additional police force from the neighbouring districts has also been deployed in the city to maintain law and order," she said.
Four companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the city. Two companies of PAC have also arrived from Udham Singh Nagar.
In the state capital Dehradun, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with senior officials, including Chief Secretary Radha Raturi and DGP Abhinav Kumar to review the situation in Haldwani, according to an official statement. "Besides imposition of curfew in entire Haldwani, shoot-at-sight orders against rioters were also issued in the city," the statement said. The chief minister urged everyone to maintain calm and asked officials to deal sternly with "anarchic elements", it added.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand High Court held a hearing on Thursday on a PIL seeking to stop the demolition of the mosque. Filed by Malik colony resident Safia Malik and others, the petition challenged the notice given by the Haldwani Municipal Corporation to the petitioners. However, no relief was granted in the matter by the vacation bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit, following which the demolition exercise began. The matter will now be heard on February 14.
