In Haldwani, Uttarakhand, there was a fierce attack on the police administration that went to remove illegal occupation on Thursday (8th February). In this attack in the Banbhulpura area, apart from stone pelting, swords were brandished and bullets were also fired. Abdul Malik is said to be the mastermind of the violence by Islamist mobs that affected thousands of civilians, hundreds of policemen and dozens of journalists. So far, the police have arrested 36 rioters and a hunt is on for the rest.
In such circumstances, some individuals risked their lives to not only thwart further harm by rioters but also to safeguard the lives of police officers. The OpIndia team reached the Hindu-dominated Gandhinagar area of Haldwani where the violent mob could not enter the city further due to the resistance of the people.
When we reached Gandhinagar, we found paramilitary personnel deployed there along with the Uttarakhand Police. No one was allowed to crowd the streets. Police sirens echoed incessantly. Residents remained confined to their homes as evidence of stone pelting littered the streets. Remnants of bricks and stones strewn across drains bore witness to the ferociousness of the mob’s actions on 8th February. The police stopped us from crossing Gandhinagar and entering the Vanbhulpura area.
There we met people who risked their own lives to save the city.
Hindus gave first aid to policemen
We saw Manish Sonkar, sitting in front of his house in Gandhinagar. Manish’s head was bandaged. He told us that on the day of the incident, policemen and municipal staff came running to his lane. A crowd of thousands was chasing them. Manish opened the doors of his house and took all the policemen and municipal staff inside. Then Manish’s family bandaged those policemen. They were given some food and tea.
Many women staff told Manish’s family, “They will kill us. Save us. They even tried to tear our clothes.” Almost all the policemen had deep wounds from where blood was oozing.
Manish claimed that the violent mob was armed with stones, petrol bombs and swords. Women and children were positioned in the front rows of the mob. They also attacked from the roofs. When Manish felt that the attacking mob would enter his locality and kill the policemen and others, he went ahead with his colleagues.
This resistance of the Hindus of the locality not only stopped the attacking crowd but also retreated after a while. Later, when the backup force arrived, the injured soldiers were taken to safer places. Manish himself fell unconscious after being hit by a stone while resisting.
23-year-old Hrithik also fought against rioters
After Manish, we met 23-year-old Hrithik in Gandhinagar. Hrithik said that when the attackers were throwing stones at his locality and the police, then how could he watch silently? Hrithik identified that most of the attackers in that mob were locals who used to drive vehicles etc. The mob also included children, old people and women. These attackers used to visit local Hindus as friends in normal times. Hrithik claimed that the police could not save themselves with sticks because the attackers had prepared for it many months ago. Hrithik received stone injuries on his face and hands.
‘We can do anything for our soldiers’
We met Aryan in another lane in Gandhinagar. Aryan’s hand was broken. He told us that this type of violent mob chanting ‘Allah hu Akbar’ is often seen in films. A policewoman who had found shelter in Aryan’s house had cried and told him that even her ring was snatched in the violence. When another woman working in the police department could not escape, she hid in a drain and left only after the backup force arrived. Stones laid on the railway line were already collected for the attack. The attackers conspired and cut the wires of the lights to ensure the darkness.
Aryan further told us that when the policemen were fleeing after saving their lives, the attackers had set their old vehicles on fire on the way back. It is claimed that not a single elderly person in the entire crowd was seen stopping any rioter from committing the act harming the social fabric. Many of the attackers wore burqas to hide themselves. We asked Aryan how he felt as he was wounded in defence of the policemen. He said, “We cannot see this happening to our soldiers. I can’t stand anything like that. We can do anything for our soldiers.”
Hindus chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while facing the rioters and saving the police
Amardeep Sonkar, who lives in ward number 27 of Gandhinagar received a head injury. He was lying on the bed and his two daughters were sitting near him. After getting the medicine, Amardeep spoke to us in a faltering voice. Amardeep identified a few from the crowd and gave us a few names, including Alibaba, Javed, Kaleem and Azeem.
Amardeep, along with his colleagues, stopped the violent mob that wanted to kill the police personnel. While facing the mob in defence of the police, Amardeep and his colleagues raised the slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Amardeep is being treated at government expense. He claimed that if the Hindus of Gandhinagar had not stepped forward and stopped the violent mob, perhaps the entire city would have been burnt.
Amardeep’s wife was engaged in the treatment of policemen with injured husband
OpIndia also interviewed Amardeep’s wife, who recounted that on the day of the incident, their home was filled with injured male and female police officers. The scene was chaotic, with nearly everyone bearing injuries and bleeding from various wounds. Amardeep sustained injuries and was brought home by his colleagues. His wife provided medical treatment and care not only to him but also to the other injured policemen. She feels relieved that all the policemen are now safe.
Hindu women bandaged injured police with their scarf
We met Pooja Sonkar in Gandhinagar. She said that on 8th February her entire locality was full of policemen seeking shelter. Everyone had opened their doors. Hearing the news of the attack, while all the men of the locality went together to stop the rioters, the women started treating the injured policemen.
Observing blood flowing from the wounds of some injured policemen, Pooja used her scarf to make a bandage for the policemen. Simultaneously, numerous other women also utilised their shawls and similar items to assist in treating the wounds of the injured officers.
Shubham’s brother and uncle were both injured
We met Shubham Gupta, a resident of Gandhinagar, getting his family treated in the hospital. Both his uncle and brother were injured while rescuing the injured policemen from the rioters, he said. Shubham’s brother had to get 16 stitches due to being hit by stones. He said the attackers were carrying sharp weapons used to cut buffalos. Attack by the rioters using such weapons caused serious injuries to policemen. He also saw that a person with a Maulana-like appearance had poured petrol under the police vehicle and set it on fire.
The police were also a little reluctant to take action as the violent mob kept women at the front. Shubham also said that even though some external elements were involved in the violence, most of them were seen as residents of Banbhulpura.
Bhagat Singh’s fans and pictures of gods everywhere in homes
Among all the young Hindus who fought the rioters, some were hesitant to come out openly. One of them described himself as a fan of revolutionary Bhagat Singh. He also showed a tattoo with Sardar Bhagat Singh printed on it. While talking off the camera, this fan of Sardar Bhagat Singh told us that he can also sacrifice his life for the soldiers of the country. He further told that he would have been happy if he had lost his life while saving the lives of the policemen on 8th February.
Most of the people who fought the violent mob in Gandhinagar are from the Dalit community. In their homes, pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses are placed in every room. Most of the people also tied Kalawa in their hands and wore Rudraksha in their necks. Most of them identified themselves as devotees of Bajrang Bali.
Most of the Hindus who were injured while fighting the attackers are being treated at different places. As the administration is unaware of them, many of the injured people are getting treatment at their own expense. However, there is a sense of satisfaction on everyone’s face that he not only saved the city from the rioters but also helped the policemen. The OpIndia team heard not only the general public but also the policemen themselves saying that the people of Gandhinagar showed amazing bravery.
