The police administration in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani has been tirelessly working to restore order since the unrest occurred in the region. Curfew has been lifted in most regions after maintaining control over the situation, however, it continues to be in place in Banbhoolpura. Javed Siddiqui, the brother of Samajwadi Party politician Abdul Mateen Siddiqui, has been apprehended by police on suspicion of inciting violence.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand | Haldwani violence | State ADG Law & Order AP Anshuman says, "The situation in Haldwani is normal, curfew has been lifted. Curfew continues in Banbhoolpura. 3 FIRs have been registered & five people have been arrested…CCTV footage is being checked…Five… pic.twitter.com/ANvTN1Ts5j
— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2024
The identity of Abdul Malik, the instigator of the violence has also come to light throughout the investigation. The land where the illegal mosque was taken down was under his possession. Furthermore, one other Samajwadi Party leader’s name has surfaced during the probe. Arshad Ayub is among them. Banbhulpura councillor Zeeshan Parvez is also under police surveillance.
The effort to apprehend the rioters has commenced. The rioters are being identified with the help of CCTV. Drones are monitored in the areas. Heavy police force has been deployed to manage the crisis. Meanwhile, other disclosures regarding the horrors inflicted upon the deceased have surfaced in the media. It has been reported that the agitators killed numerous innocent persons in the streets while armed with illegal firearms. The images of grieving family members of the victims are already beginning to appear.
In addition, bullet injuries claimed the lives of all five of the victims including Muslims who died in Banbhoolpura. Notably, some are disseminating false news that the tragedy was brought on by police gunshots even though the majority of police officers used batons throughout the clashes. On the other hand, the Islamist crowd possessed illegal weapons, gasoline, bricks and stones, among other things.
These rioters are now subjected to harsh police action. Three persons were critically hurt, five people died and numerous police officers were hurt during the assault. The police filed three First Information Reports (FIR) and are currently searching for the stone pelters. Some people have even disappeared owing to the severe action of the cops. The forest department fears that these individuals might be hiding in encroached or reserved forest lands.
In light of this, the forest department also patrolled the forests close to the Gola range that is Banbhoolpura but no suspect has been nabbed till now. A group of foresters maintained their patrol of the woodlands from Aawla Chowki, Indira Nagar, Lalkuan, Bagjala, Golapul, Bagjala to Danibangar. According to Ranger Gola Chandan Adhikari, every measure would be undertaken to safeguard the forest region and prevent culprits from infiltrating.
As to the article by Dainik Jagran, the forest department is preparing a report opposing the invasion, in the wake of the violence. It had previously attempted to do the same, but the action was halted midway. However, sources have it that following the recent instance, a report is being produced to launch another campaign against intrusion.
Update: An earlier version of this report mentioned that the body of a man named Prakash Kumar was found on the train tracks. Initially, reports mentioned that Prakash Kumar’s death may also have been related to the violence. But police investigation revealed later that he was murdered over personal enmity in a case related to an extramarital affair and blackmail.
