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Haldwani Violence: Two people lost their lives while over 200 including 100 policemen and district administration officials suffered injuries after violence erupted in Banbhoolpra in Uttarakhand's Haldwani on Thursday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday chaired a high-level meeting with officials to review the current situation in the affected areas. The CM has ordered strict action against the rioters and miscreants involved in the violence. Security has been heightened in the violence-hit area. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, DGP Abhinav Kumar and ADG Law & Order AP Anshuman have also reached Haldwani to take stock of the situation.

The violence erupted after the district administration team razed a madrasa and an adjoining mosque during an anti-encroachment drive in Banbhoolpura. The protesters set vehicles and a police station on fire and also pelted stones, injuring a large number of police officials and municipal workers involved in the demolition.

A curfew has been imposed across Banbhoolpura on the orders of the District Magistrate and a shoot-at-sight order has also been issued against rioters. After the imposition of the curfew, all schools from Classes 1-12 and colleges in and around the city have also been closed. The district administration has also suspended the internet services across Banbhoolpura in the wake of the violence.

Meanwhile, four companies of paramilitary forces were rushed to Haldwani. According to the Uttarakhand Police, two companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) from Udham Singh Nagar also reached Haldwani. "Four companies of paramilitary personnel have been sent to the violence-hit area of Haldwani. Two companies of PAC from Udham Singh Nagar have already reached Haldwani," Inspector General Nilesh Anand Bharne said.

What Nainital DM Vandana Singh Said

Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh termed the incident unfortunate and assured that the accused will be identified and strict action will be taken against them. The DM asserted that the incident was not communal and urged everyone to refrain from making it a communal or sensitive issue. She clarified that no particular community was involved in the retaliation.

"The police station has been completely damaged by the mob. This is an unfortunate incident. The accused will be identified and strict action will be taken. This (incident) was not communal. I request everybody to not make it communal or sensitive. Any particular community did not retaliate. This was an effort to challenge the state machinery, state govt and the law and order situation," she said.

Refuting claims of the property being a Madrasa, the DM specified that it was an empty property. The DM said the demolition drive started peacefully but stones were pelted at the Municipal Corporation's team. The DM said the attack on the forces was planned.

"It is an empty property that has two structures, which are not registered as religious structures or have been given any such recognition. Some call the structure a Madrasa," she said.

Haldwani Violence: What Happened?

According to officials, a team of district administration including municipal workers carried out an anti-encroachment drive on Thursday in the heavy presence of police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel in compliance with a court order. The team razed a madrasa and an adjoining mosque, which they said, stood on an illegally encroached government land. Angry residents, including women, in large numbers descended on the streets to protest the action as the demolition of the two structures began. They were seen breaking barricades and arguing with the police personnel engaged in the demolition exercise.

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As a bulldozer razed the madrasa and the mosque, mobs hurled stones at the police personnel, municipal corporation workers and journalists, leaving over 150 people injured. The police tried to disperse the irate mob by resorting to a mild lathi charge and bursting of teargas shells. However, tension escalated with the mob setting fire to several vehicles, including a police patrol car. By late evening, tension mounted further and the Banbhoolpura Police Station was also set on fire, leading to the imposition of a curfew in the town.

The violence followed a hearing in the Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday on a PIL seeking to stop the demolition of the mosque and madrasa in Haldwani. Filed by Malik colony resident Safia Malik and others, the petition challenged the notice given by the Haldwani Municipal Corporation to the petitioners. However, no relief was granted in the matter by the vacation bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit, following which the demolition exercise began. The matter will now be heard on February 14.

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