Uttarakhand police arrested 25 more people on Sunday for their alleged involvement in the violence that left five dead and many injured in Haldwani last week, after a ‘madrasa and masjid’ were demolished during an anti-encroachment drive. All those arrested were from the Muslim community. The State has requested the Union government to send additional forces to Haldwani to maintain law and order there.
The police said that they had recovered seven country-made pistols and 54 live bullets from the accused, apart from ammunition allegedly stolen from the police, including some that is suspected to have been taken from an attacked police station. Addressing a media briefing, Haldwani’s Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Narayan Meena said that at least one police weapon is missing from a police vehicle set on fire at the spot of the demolition.
“We have recovered 67 live bullets of 7.62 mm bore and 32 live bullets of 9 mm bore from the possession of the 25 arrested accused who were part of the violence,” said Mr. Meena, adding that a total of 30 people have been arrested in connection with the violence so far.
‘Central forces needed’
In a letter to the Union government, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said that additional companies of central paramilitary forces are needed in Haldwani after the continuous disruption of law and order by “antisocial elements” during the demolition of an encroaching structure at Malik ka Bagicha under the Banbhoolpura police station area on February 8.
With curfew being lifted in the district on Saturday, markets and shops reopened in many parts of the town on Sunday morning. However, the roads remained deserted around the Banbhoolpura area, the epicentre of the violence. A number of people in adjoining areas were seen leaving, with their bags on their shoulders.
Bihari breadwinner’s tragedy
Even as normalcy returned to much of the town, the kin of 24-year old Prakash Singh, one of the five who died in the violence, were still trying to come to terms with their tragic loss. The sole breadwinner in his family of six, including elderly parents, Mr. Singh was travelling from Bihar’s Bhojpur to Haldwani in search of work. He died within hours of reaching the town. His family only learnt about his death three days later.
His mother has been unconscious since being told of her son’s death, his brother-in-law Pintoo Singh told The Hindu. “After his father suffered huge loss in farming, Prakash decided to look out for work outside. He was told about some employment oppourtunity in Haldwani through a friend. He had landed here on Thursday evening only and police told us that they had found his body from Banbhoolpura during the wee hours on Friday. This means he couldn’t survive even for a few hours in this cruel city,” Mr. Singh said.
The police found a chain and some cash belonging to the deceased youth, which was handed over to his family, and local administration officials assured them of financial help. “Even if they will pay us a few lakhs, how will this family marry the two unmarried daughters, manage the education of a teenage son, and medicines for the two elderly parents?” Mr. Singh asked.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami during a public rally in Champawat district on Sunday said that the state will not tolerate such misconduct that happened on Haldwani.
“Police is continuously acting against the miscreants and anarchical elements involved in the violence that took place in Haldwani. All the rioters are being arrested one by one,” said Mr Dhami.
He added that state will take action against all the illegal encroachment and the anti-encroachment drive will not be stopped .
