Haldwani’s community was tense on Thursday night as rioting erupted over the destruction of a madrasa that was illegally built. Mardarsa’s demolition sparked violence in Banbhoolpura, which led to tensions in the community in the Haldwani area of the Nainital district on Thursday night, according to the officials with knowledge of the situation. In Banbhoolpura the district magistrate has enforced a curfew. The rioters have also been given a shoot-at-sight order. The Banbhoolpura violence has resulted in three to four deaths and over 100 injuries, mostly to police officers, according to Nainital region magistrate Vandana.
In order to preserve law and order, Vandna said that a curfew has been implemented in Haldwani and that internet access has been blocked throughout the city. She also mentioned that a directive has been made to keep the local schools closed.
Updates in communal violence in Haldwani:
In response to the demolition of illegally built madrasa, residents of Haldwani allegedly set cars on fire and threw stones, harming at least 100 individuals. This prompted the imposition of curfew.
The majority of those hospitalized following the violence in the Banbhoolpura area of the city, according to police, were police officers and municipal workers involved in demolishing a nearby madrasa.
Prahlad Meena, senior superintendent of police, said that the madrasa that was built illegally on public property had previously received notice.
The violence on the outside the Bannhoolpura police station was reported by Nainital district magistrate Vandana. It is being verified whether the weapons used were legal or illicit. The police opened fire in the air in retaliation. Hospitals were bringing in three or four dead patients who had been shot. The deceased is currently being identified. The DM stated that we will have to wait to find out if they were shot by police or by other individuals.
The rioters attempted to set fire to the Banbhoolpura police station, according to Vandana. Our officers were in the police station at that time. They were restrained by the police, though and were not permitted to go inside the police station. She said that the violence later moved to Gandhi Nagar, which is close to Banbhoolpura.
According to the DM, there seems to have been premeditated and unprovoked violence and stones were allegedly kept in homes beforehand. She said that petrol bombs were even used by the rioters.
The DM claimed that things are now under control. Banbhoolpura has managed to contain the violence preventing it from escalating to the main city. Additionally paramilitary forces are en route and have already been stationed in the region. To preserve law and order she said more police officers have been brought in from nearby districts and stationed inside the city.
Senior officials were called to a meeting in the capital city Dehradun by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. According to SSP Meena, SDM Paritosh Verma, city magistrate Richa Singh and municipal commissioner Pankaj Upadhyay were present when the demolition was done.
