A horrific incident took place in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani. Reports reveal that five people have been killed and more than 60 injured in police firing where a Madarsa was demolished by municipal authorities.
On February 8th, Thursday, at about 3:30 pm, officials came with bulldozers to destroy the Madarsa called ‘Malik ke Bagiche’. The locals who were present there revealed they weren’t shown any official papers to prove the demolition was allowed Moreover the authorities didn’t listen to them. They also mentioned that the officials didn’t even show them any documents before the demolition order for the Madarsa.
An eyewitness told the news agency The Wire, that the Police officers hit our women with sticks, and at least four men got hurt by bullets. They found out that only two people were allowed to get religious books before the Madarsa was destroyed. Even though people asked to see the paper that said the Madarsa could be torn down, the officials didn’t listen and used force, which made the situation worse.
The eyewitness also mentioned that some police officers got hurt because some people from the area fought back when the demolition happened. Questioning why the women were targeted. The Madarsa that was destroyed by the Uttarakhand authority is in the railway colony area, where more than 4,000 families live.
The ANI news agency, states that the government wants the land for expanding the railway, and this issue is already being discussed in the Supreme Court. Earlier, there were reports that orders to shoot anyone causing trouble were given in the area, and security has been increased. The District Magistrate of Nainital has now imposed a curfew in Banbhoolpura and ordered the police to shoot rioters on sight.
Haldwani Violence
Locals mentioned that firing by the police took place even during the night. They said “Even when we were in our homes, the police fired at our doors. We’re scared, and this needs to stop,” said someone who saw what happened. The Wire tried to contact the police several times, but they haven’t responded yet.
