Haldwani violence: 300 Muslim families flee; police continue massive search operation

Haldwani violence: Days after the violence at Uttarakhand’s Haldwani claimed six lives and injured around 60, 300 Muslim families have migrated from the Banbhoolpoora area where the clash took place to safer areas. Many families were spotted moving out with their luggage and walking as a curfew was in place. 

On February 8, violence broke out after authorities came to raze down an ‘illegal’ mosque and madrasa during an anti-encroachment drive. The police is still carrying out massive search operations. So far 30 people have been arrested in connection with the violence. 

As more Muslim families are looking to move out, the police have sealed off all the entry and exit points of Banbhoolpoora. The investigators believe that people involved in the violence are also likely to flee this way. 

Moreover, the municipal corporation issued a recovery notice of Rs 2.44 crore against the main accused in the Banbhoolpoora violence for causing damage to government properties. Supporters of accused Abdul Malik attacked the team that had gone for the demolition drive. As per the notice, properties of municipal corporation were damaged by Malik’s supporters as they had gone for the demolition drive in ‘Malik ka Bagicha’. The civic body asked for the amount to be deposited by February 15, or they would resort to legal means. 

Malik had allegedly built the “illegal structure” whose demolition triggered the Haldwani violence. 

Meanwhile, on Sunday, a delegation of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind visited Haldwani met with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and apprised the district administration of their demands. Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind General Secretary Abdul Raziq later said that the decision to raze down the mosque was taken hastily. 

"We came here to appeal for peace in the area. We have requested the SDM to ensure that actions are not taken against innocent people. It has happened because the demolition drive was carried out suddenly," Raziq said, adding that the administration did not wait for the court’s orders and there was no demolition order either. 

Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh said that encroachment drive was conducted in various places in Haldwani and that some had appealed for a stay. The court approved the stay in some cases and did not in others. The DM said that in cases where there was no court-ordered stay, the demolition process was initiated. 

“It is an empty property that has two structures, which is not registered as a religious structure or has been given any such recognition,” said the DM in a press conference a day after the violence.

(With PTI inputs)

Also read: Haldwani violence: Nainital DM says attack was unprovoked; structures to be demolished were not registered as religious