Uttarakhand Police on Sunday said 30 people were arrested, including 25 in the last 24 hours, in connection with Thursday’s violence in Nainital district’s Haldwani city that left five people dead and dozens injured. Several country-made weapons and live rounds were recovered from those arrested, police said.
The state government has asked the Centre for four additional companies of paramilitary forces to be deployed in the district.
On Sunday morning, a sense of normalcy returned to many parts of Haldwani as shops that remained closed since the incident reopened and snapped internet services were resumed. However, curfew remained in place in the Banbhoolpura area, where the incident took place, and several residents of the locality were seen packing up and leaving.
Violence had erupted on Thursday after the administration conducted a drive during which a mosque and a madrasa were demolished in Banbhoolpura. District authorities said both structures stood on Nazool land – government land not officially mentioned in revenue records. As stones were pelted, cars torched and the local police station surrounded by a mob, Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami had issued shoot on sight orders.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Nainital Senior Superintendent Of Police Prahlad Narayan Meena said, “In connection with the three FIRs registered, we have arrested 25 people in the last 24 hours. This includes 12 people for the attack on the police station, six for setting ablaze vehicles outside the police station, and seven in connection to the FIR registered on the complaint of Nagar Nigam for violence during the anti-encroachment drive.” He said all those arrested were from Haldwani and that the arrests were made within the borders of Nainital district.
However, Abdul Malik, who is now considered the main accused in the violence, is still at large, the SSP said.
The five people arrested earlier included Javed Siddiqui, brother of SP leader Matin Siddiqui. Of the 25 new arrests, 24 were not named in the FIRs. Only one accused named in the FIRs, Junaid, was among those held on Saturday and Sunday.
Regarding arms and ammunition seized from those arrested, the SSP said, “We have also recovered seven country-made weapons and 54 live (rounds) from the possession of these people… Also, during the attack on the Banbhoolpura police station, these rioters looted some government ammunition. We have recovered some of the ammunition from these accused… Some more ammunition looted from the police station is to be recovered. A revolver from the police station is also missing,” he said.
Earlier, in a letter to the Union Home secretary on Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi requested four additional companies of Central paramilitary forces.
“In view of the continuous disruption of law and order by anarchist elements during the demolition of encroachment in Malik ka Bagicha under Banbhoolpura police station area on February 8, four additional companies of central paramilitary force are required for law and order duty in the district,” the letter read.
The local police’s intensifying efforts to round up those involved in the violence has caused a panic among some residents of Banbhoolpura.
On Sunday morning, as state-run buses resumed their services in Haldwani, several Banbhoolpura residents were seen packing their bags and leaving, trying to avoid lanes with heavy police presence.
Some said they were leaving to stay with their relatives in other parts of the district, while others said they were going to neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
“We are living in constant fear. Yesterday (Saturday) evening, several policemen came to our houses between 4 and 6 pm and took some of the youngsters in the name of questioning them. We fear we could be next,” a Banbhoolpura resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said as she packed to temporarily leave the town.
In contrast with the rest of Haldwani city, almost all main intersections in the Banbhoolpura area have been barricaded, with extra police deployment near the houses of those who died during the violence. Essential supplies like milk and food were allowed inside, but only under police surveillance.
In the nearby slum of Gafoor Basti, residents used logs and drums to block one of the main entries to the slum. At the slightest hint of police activity in the area, residents of the slum could be seen quickly shutting their doors and windows.
Attending an event in Champawat on Sunday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said strict action would be taken against anti-social elements trying to disturb peace and harmony in the state, and that his government would continue to take strong action against illegal encroachers.
“In Haldwani, some anarchist elements attacked even women police personnel and journalists. They snatched the cameras of journalists and beat them up using sticks and stones. They even tried to throw them into the fire… Our state is a peaceful state… I want to repeat that our government will continue strong action against anarchist elements and illegal encroachers. Those involved in rioting will get the punishment they deserve,” Dhami said.
