The police have reported that five individuals have been arrested, while several others have been detained in relation to the violence that occurred in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. Additionally, the police have confirmed the death of five people. In light of the ongoing investigations, the state government has initiated a magisterial probe into the case.
The Haldwani SSP, Nainital PN Meena, informed the news agency ANI that a case has been registered against 5,000 unidentified individuals, and many have been taken into custody. The violence erupted due to the demolition of an illegally constructed madrasa, resulting in the death of five people. Numerous police officers were injured as locals attacked municipal workers and the police with stones and petrol bombs.
As a result, many police personnel sought refuge at a police station, which was later set on fire by the mob. ADG Law and Order, AP Anshuman, stated that out of the 16 individuals named in the three FIRs filed, five have been arrested. Curfew has been lifted in areas other than Banbhoolpura and its vicinity, where the violence took place. The Banbhoolpura area is currently restricted to visitors as investigations into the riots are ongoing. Seven individuals, including a journalist, are receiving treatment at three different hospitals, with three of them in a serious condition.
The rest have been discharged. Internet services have been restored in certain parts of the city. The Banbhoolpura area in Haldwani appeared deserted with scattered stones and charred remains of vehicles following the clashes. No further incidents of violence have been reported in the locality where the madrasa was demolished. More than 1,000 police personnel remain deployed in the town, which is close to Nainital, according to officials. The demolished structures were situated on government land, and the actions taken by municipal workers and the police were in accordance with court orders.