Haldwani violence: A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against 5,000 people two days after violence broke out in Uttarakhand's Haldwani after an illegal madrasa and mosque were demolished among other establishments during an anti-encroachment drive.
"Police have registered a case against 19 named and 5,000 unidentified people and have started arresting them. Several people have been taken into custody and miscreants are being identified and searched for them," SSP Nainital PN Meena said.
A clash had broken out on Thursday between officials carrying the anti-encroachment drive and residents in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani, which claimed the lives of six people and over 100 were injured.
Magisterial inquiry ordered
Two days after clashes broke out, the government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the entire case. Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, who visited the incident site, gave orders for the magisterial probe.
Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat has been appointed as the inquiry officer. Instructions have been given to him to complete the investigation within 15 days.
Five arrested, search for others underway
SSP Nainital Prahlad Narayan Meena said that three FIRs have been registered so far and five people have been taken under custody. Our team is identifying the remaining accused in the case. We are searching Abdul Malik, who is a named accused in this case..."
"We had a proper plan and the force was briefed accordingly. Heavy force was deployed in the area. District force has been successful in taking the situation under control. Using CCTV footage and other videos, we are identifying people and taking action on them accordingly...," he added.
On Friday, no further incidents of violence were reported from the locality where the madrasa -- which included a "structure" where prayers were held.
Officials said stones were pelted at them from rooftops, where they appeared to have been stocked. At least some of the alleged rioters killed in the violence had gunshot wounds.
Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh confirmed that orders to open fire, with instructions to shoot the rioters in the leg, were issued when the mob attacked the police station.
Uttarakhand police chief Abhinav Kumar said action will also be taken under the stringent National Security Act against those found to be involved in the attacks on police personnel.
“I don’t know how I survived,” a policewoman told a television channel from her hospital bed, as she talked about being targeted by local residents who had resisted the demolition.
BJP MPs said the Haldwani violence appeared to be a "conspiracy" and warranted strict action against the guilty.
In Parliament, Indian Union Muslim league MP ET Mohammed Basheer said such incidents should not happen, or the country will suffer. He also referred to the Uniform Civil Code bill passed this week in Uttarakhand Assembly.
DGP Kumar said the situation was under control to a large extent with the imposition of curfew but they are focused on bringing back normalcy in the town within the next 24 hours.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Haldwani, meeting some of the injured.
He termed the violence a “planned attack”, and said the stockpiling of arms, stones and petrol bombs suggested this.
With inputs from PTI
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