Edited by Deepali Verma
As Haldwani communal violence rages, Nainital district magistrate Vandana Singh on February 9 informed that it was “pre-planned and unprovoked”. The trouble commenced in Banbhoolpura after the demolition of an “illegally built” madrasa.
Singh said that the accused had collected stones on rooftops before the attack started.
“The attackers made use of petrol bombs that were fired at the Banbhoolpura police station, and set the vehicles on fire. They already collected stones on the rooftops before the attack…the violence was pre-planned…The mob had no intention to save the structure, they just attacked the state machinery and the state symbols,” the District Magistrate said.
As per Singh, 15-20 people provoked the crowd during the demolition drive by the municipal corporation team.
“We went ahead with the demolition drive as there was no stay on the assets… A legal process to remove the encroachment is being carried out at various places and so it was done here as well,” the DM said.
Further, she added that the police and administration undertook no step that could have caused harm to life or property during the attack. “The demolition drive started peacefully… Despite the entire process being carried out properly, a large mob, within the span of thirty-minutes attacked our municipal cooperation team,” she said.
According to the District Magistrate, four accused have been arrested so far. The incident saw a total of three FIRs over violence that have been registered. The police have further identified more than two dozen people who provoked the violence, Nainital senior superintendent of police Prahlad Narayan Meena said.
Large communal tensions gripped the Haldwani area of Nainital district on the evening of February 8, after violence erupted over the demolition of an “illegally built” madrasa in the area. The demolition took place in the presence of municipal commissioner Pankaj Upadhyay, city magistrate Richa Singh and SDM Paritosh Verma.
After the attack, the district administration imposed a curfew in Haldwani and additionally issued a ‘shoot-at-sight’ order against the rioters.
As per the police, at least 100 people were injured in the violence.
