6 killed, 100 Injured In Haldwani Violence, Police To Invoke NSA Against Rioters

New Delhi: Uttarakhand's Haldwani city witnessed a violent clash between the police and a mob on Thursday over the demolition of an illegal structure, which some claimed to be a madrasa. Six people died and 100 others were injured in the incident, which also saw the police station in Banbhoolpura being torched and vandalised by the rioters. Six people lost their lives in the violence and eleven others, including a journalist, are undergoing treatment at various hospitals. Most of the injured were given first aid and discharged. 

Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar said on Friday that the police will take strict action against those who attacked the police personnel and damaged public property. He said the police will invoke the National Security Act (NSA) against the unruly elements who indulged in arson and vandalism. He assured that the situation is under control and normalcy will be restored in the city soon.

BJP MPs Allege Conspiracy, Shiv Sena MP Blames Polarisation

The violence in Haldwani sparked a political blame game, with several BJP MPs accusing the rioters of being part of a conspiracy. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harnath Yadav said that the mob used bombs, country pistols, and other weapons to attack the government officials and the police. He demanded that the rioters should be shot at sight and no leniency should be shown to them.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, on the other hand, blamed the BJP for creating a polarised atmosphere in the state and the country. She said that the BJP’s intention is to divide people for votes and that is why such incidents are happening. She said that the attack on the police is shameful and shows the prevalence of hooliganism in BJP-ruled states.

CM Visits Haldwani, DM Denies Communal Angle

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Haldwani on Friday and met the police personnel who were injured in the violence. He condemned the incident and said that it was an attempt to spoil the atmosphere of ‘Dev Bhoomi’ Uttarakhand. He said that the anti-encroachment drive was being carried out as per the court’s direction and the administration had notified the people beforehand.

He said that some people took the law into their own hands and attacked the police, journalists, and public properties. He said that the law will take its own course and those who caused damage will have to pay for it.

Earlier in the day, Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh clarified that the incident was not communal and appealed to everyone to not make it sensitive. She said that the structure that was being demolished was not a madrasa, but an empty property with two unregistered buildings.

She said that the attack on the police was unprovoked and pre-planned, and that the mob used petrol bombs to set fire to the police station. She said that the demolition drive was peaceful and the police did not use any force.

The city was under curfew and shoot-at-sight orders on Thursday after the violence broke out. The orders were lifted on Friday evening after the situation improved.