Stones were pelted and several vehicles were set on fire following the demolition of the mosque.
Turmoil erupted within the confines of Uttarakhand’s Banbhoolpura region in Haldwani district due to the upheaval that ensued subsequent to the administrative endeavor aimed at dismantling a mosque purportedly situated on Nazool property. Stones were hurled, and numerous vehicles were ignited in the aftermath of the mosque’s demolition.
A minimum of four individuals succumbed, and in excess of a hundred officials sustained injuries amidst the turmoil. Journalists present at the scene also incurred injuries. In light of the unrest in the vicinity, internet services were terminated within the city, and a curfew was enforced to uphold law and order.
Uttarakhand’s Chief Administrator, Pushkar Singh Dhami, convened with the Chief Administrative Officer and the Director General of the Police Force. Per the authorities, individuals are solely permitted to depart their residences in cases of medical urgency.
Administrator Dhami issued directives for firearm employment in Haldwani. Furthermore, it was declared that all educational institutions in Haldwani would remain shuttered on Friday.
The Commencement of Unrest in Haldwani An altercation concerning the mosque within the Banbhoolpura district escalated into a state of commotion when a contingent from the district’s administrative body endeavored to dismantle the structures pursuant to a judicial mandate. This endeavor was met with vehement opposition from a congregation hailing from the Muslim community. Hooligans engaged in stone pelting and instigated arson in the locale. A curfew has been enacted in Haldwani to uphold law and order, while internet provisions within the city have been suspended.
Vandana Singh, the District Magistrate of Nainital, articulated on Friday that the turmoil was “premeditated and unprovoked,” with stones having been pre-positioned within residences, as reported by ANI. Some accounts allege the employment of incendiary devices by the rioters. According to the district magistrate, the situation has since been brought under control. Dhami has instructed the law enforcement agencies to adopt stringent measures against the unruly elements and has also beseeched the populace to preserve tranquility.
Directive for Comprehensive Closure Issued by Nainital District Magistrate Vandana, the District Magistrate of Nainital, issued a directive to impose a comprehensive shutdown across the entirety of Haldwani city.
“The Superintendent of Police, Nainital, and the City Magistrate, Haldwani, have apprised me that in the process of clearing encroachments and demolishing structures from the designated site in the Banbhoolpura area, there have been instances of protest, stone pelting, and arson by a particular community. Consequently, there exists a threat to law and order within the area, as well as apprehensions regarding the jeopardy posed to human life and public property… Hence, in my estimation, it has become imperative to preempt the hazard posed to the safety of public life and property,” the directive read, as cited by the Indian Express.