5 held over Haldwani violence, curfew relaxed

HALDWANI: Five persons were arrested while cases have been registered against 19 individuals and at least 5000 (unidentified) people in connection with the Haldwani violence in Utrakhand.

As many as five people were killed and over 300 injured in the violence that broke out in Banbhoolpura area in Utarakhand’s Haldwani city on Thursday.

The violence had erupted ater several establishments and a madarsa, which were illegally constructed on government land, were demolished in Banbhoolpura, enraging locals who then pelted stones on police personnel and mediapersons.

The three people, who were seriously injured, are undergoing treatment at Sushil Tiwari Hospital in the city.

Also, the police have arrested five people so far. CCTV footage, video recordings and hard disks of many DBRS have been seized from them.

DGP Abhinav Kumar said that a loss of Rs6 crore has been estimated in this violence.

To ensure that such incidents do not happen again in future, strictest action will be taken against miscreants and rioters. Action will be taken against miscreants and rioters by imposing NSA and UAPA.

Not only this, compensation for the loss caused in this violence will also be recovered from the rioters.

Vanbhoolpura area of Haldwani city has been divided into seven zones in which seven magistrates have been deployed.

Besides, ADM has been given the responsibility of nodal officer.

Meanwhile, there has been no relaxation in the curfew in Banbhoolpura while the restrictions have been lited in rest of the areas in Haldwani.

Authorities in Haldwani suspended Internet services, closed schools, imposed a curfew and banned large gatherings ater the violence broke out.

Security forces were also rushed into the area from other parts of the state to contain the unrest, officials said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday visited the Banbhoolpura area and took stock of the situation ater wide-scale violence and destruction of public property there by rioters.