The Haldwani administration announced curfew relaxation for a few hours in the Banbhoolpura town on Thursday. The development comes seven days after it was imposed following the violence over the demolition of an "illegal" madrasa.
Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh issued a notice stating the curfew will be relaxed from 9 am to 4 pm in Gaujajali, Railway Bazar and FCI godown area.
In the rest of Banbhoolpura, it will be relaxed for two hours from 9 am to 11 am.
Violence broke out on February 8 over the demolition of an illegally built madrassa in the Banbhoolpura area, with locals hurling stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire.
In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than a hundred, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, according to the police.
The curfew imposed in Banbhoolpura after the violence was earlier lifted from the outer areas of the town.
Non-bailable warrant issued against key accused
Meanwhile, a non-bailable warrant was issued on Wednesday against Haldwani violence key accused Abdul Malik who had built the now razed madrasa and prayer site in Banbhoolpura and opposed their demolition vehemently.
The warrant will allow police to search his house and taking other steps necessary to nab him, officials here said.
Police can also now file a petition in the court seeking attachment of his property, they said
The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday heard a PIL filed by Malik's wife Safia seeking a stop on the demolition.
Noted lawyer Salman Khurshid argued on behalf of the Banbhoolpura resident in the Uttarakhand High Court saying that his client should have been granted 15 days' time to file a reply in the court before the demolition was carried out in the area.
Khurshid argued that although the demolition had been done and as such no relief can be granted to the petitioner, it was not done following the due legal procedure.
He claimed that the demolition was done four days after a notice was served upon the petitioner, even though as per the process of law, 15 days should have been granted to them to file a reply.
The high court has sought a reply from the state government and will hold the next hearing on the petition in the second week of May.
(With PTI inputs)
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