Petrol bombs were hurled at police, Haldwani Municipal Corporation workers and media persons in Banbhoolpura on 8th February 2024 after the administration demolished an illegal madarsa built on encroached government land. On Friday (9th February) Nainital DM Vandana Singh told the media that the first attack was with stones targeted and the mob then launched a second attack with petrol bombs and hurled them inside the police station.
According to reports, rioters extracted petrol from motorcycles parked on the roads and used it to make petrol bombs. A TV9 report shows a petrol-filled bottle and a lighter next to a parked motorbike. The video showed numerous bottles littered along the road, brought there by scrap pickers. These bottles were used by rioters to make petrol bombs. These bombs were subsequently thrown at the police and municipal corporation teams, as well as their vehicles, following the demolition of the illegal construction.
Haldwani Violence : Petrol Bomb से पुलिस पर हमला, किसकी साजिश ? #shorts #haldwaniviolence #haldwaniriots #हल्द्वानी_हिंसा #ucc #tv9delhincr pic.twitter.com/eQUwR9zkhR
— TV9 Delhi NCR (@TV9DelhiNCR) February 9, 2024
Speaking about the mob violence, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “Anti-encroachment drive has been going on as per the court’s direction…administration had notified people beforehand… administration were attacked with petrol bombs, stones, there was arson also. Some people tried to create tension in Uttarakhand. The law will take strict action against it. Video footage of the whole incident is being retrieved, and those who damaged govt and public property will be made to pay for it…we are with the people who got injured…”
#WATCH | On Haldwani violence, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, Anti-encroachment drive has been going on as per the court's direction…administration had notified people beforehand… administration were attacked with petrol bombs, stones, there was arson also. Some… pic.twitter.com/dXrLsv2kmn
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 9, 2024
As reported earlier, Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh told the media that the attack on the police and the Haldwani Municipal Corporation team on 8th February was pre-planned.
The angry mob attacked authorities who went there to demolish the construction on illegally encroached government land near the Banbhoolpura police station under the ongoing drive against illegal encroachments. The mob pelted stones at the policemen and Haldwani Municipal Corporation workers present there.
The action by the police municipal corporation authorities against the illegal construction on government land was taken after the Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday, did not grant relief to the petitioners Safia Malik and others seeking a stay on the demolition exercise.
