Clashes erupt, police station torched: Cops
HALDWANI: Communal tension erupted after a team comprising personnel from the district administration and local civic body demolished a madrasa and an underground mosque-like structure built illegally on government land (nazool land) in Haldwani area of Nainital district, said police on Thursday.
At least a dozen people were injured and over a dozen properties, including a police station were allegedly set ablaze , said police, adding, the number could change. The police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
The incident took place in Banbhulpura area of Haldwani, said the police.
According to the officials, “soon after a demolition drive began to remove the encroachments from the government land, the protesting local residents pelted stones at the police and civic body officials”.
“During the clash, several police and district administration officials were also injured due to the stone pelting,” said an official on the condition of anonymity. “The protesters also set the police vehicles and barricades on fire and created ruckus in the area,” said the official.
City magistrate-cum-joint secretary of district-level development authority, Richa Singh said: “The Madrasa and an underground mosque-like structure, which were built illegally on government land, were sealed on Saturday night”.
“A joint team of Haldwani municipal corporation, district administration and police had gone to the Malik Ka Bagicha area located in Banbhulpura to demolish the illegal structures. When the team reached there to take action, an angry crowd gathered there,” said Richa Singh. “The protesters torched several vehicles and pelted stones on the team. Dozens of people have been injured in the incident.
They also gheraoed the Bhanbulpura police station and set it on fire. Right now, it is difficult to give the exact numbers. Additional police force is being called from other police stations and districts”.
According to another official, earlier on January 29, Haldwani municipal corporation had issued a notice to an illegal occupant named Abdul Malik. He was directed “to vacate the encroachment and remove the illegal constructions by February 4, failing which municipal corporation will raze the illegal constructions,” said another official.
“On February 3, the Muslim representatives and Imams held a meeting with civic body officials in Haldwani where they had heated arguments with the municipality and administration officials,” said a person familiar with the developments. “They created ruckus during the meeting demanding that constructions should not be razed. But officials refused to consider the same”, said an official,
Later, on Saturday evening, police carried out a flag march in Banbhulpura area where Muslim women and children had gathered to oppose the proposed action against the structures, said police.
Haldwani-based Muslim religious leader Maulana Muqeem (Imam Sadar) had earlier requested the authorities to avoid razing these structures as they will complete all legal formalities regarding the land.