Haldwani Violence: 5 Dead, Several Injured After Madrasa Demolition; CM Issues Shoot at Sight Orders

Five individuals lost their lives and several others, including police personnel, sustained injuries during violent clashes in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, stemming from a demolition drive by municipal authorities. The incident unfolded in Banbhoolpura where a mosque and a madrasa were demolished on Thursday, allegedly on Nazool land.

A curfew has been imposed in the Banbhoolpur area and according to a statement issued by the state information department CM Pushkar Singh Dhami issued orders to shoot rioters on sight following a high-level meeting.

According to a report by The Wire, authorities came to demolish ‘Malik Ke Bagiche’ ka madrasa at around 3.30 pm on Thursday. People have alleged that neither they were shown any order to demolish their place of worship nor were the authorities “ready to listen to them”.

An eyewitness was quoted as saying by The Wire: “Our women were beaten with lathis by male police officers, and at least four men were injured by bullets in the area.”

The report further stated that only two people were allowed to collect the religious books from the madrasa. The locals have alleged that the authorities proceeded with force, refusing to engage with the former’s requests and appeals to access the demolition order, which led to an escalation of the situation.

The madrasa, demolished by Uttarakhand authorities, is situated in the railway colony area, home to over 4,000 families. The central government seeks the land for railway expansion, with the issue currently pending before the Supreme Court.

The locals also claimed, according to The Wire, that the police were firing at night. “When we were inside our homes, police even fired at our doors. We’re living in fear, this should stop,” an eyewitness was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, addressing the media, Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh claimed that this was not a demolition drive targeting a particular property, and for the last 15-20 days there had been a drive in Haldwani in connection with Nagar Nigam properties to free the roads from traffic congestion.

A report by The Indian Express quoted Singh as saying: “Notices were served to everyone and everyone was given a chance to present their case. Some people even went to the High Court. Some people got more time (from the court) and some did not. Demolition drive was conducted in places where more time was not given. In that sequence, these two structures, which some people call a madrasa and namaz sthal, but there is no official record of the same in legal documents, were vacated and a notice was pasted, asking them to remove the encroachment in three days.”

Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Narayan Meena said, according to The Indian Express, that the reason behind the death and the injuries was that the mob was trying to "challenge the state", attacking the thana and the police. He maintained that no unnecessary force was used by the police, adding that presently, about 1,100 police personnel are present in Haldwani.

State ADG Law and Order, A P Anshuman had initially reported higher casualty figures, attributing them to the intensity of the clashes and the challenges faced by law enforcement. However, subsequent clarifications from local authorities revised the official count, indicating a lower number of fatalities.