Haldwani Violence: After CM Dhami Pledged To Not Spare Rioters, Uttarakhand Government Seeks Additional Central Forces

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi is known to have written to the Centre seeking additional central forces for deployment in Haldwani where violence broke out over the demolition of an illegally built madrassa on Thursday (8 February).

Currently, around 1,100 security personnel are deployed in Haldwani town of Nainital district. Another four companies -- containing about 100 personnel each -- of the Central Paramilitary Forces are sought from the Home Ministry.

This comes after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Whoever is responsible for breaking the laws will not be spared...The rioters will not be spared and soon they will realise that they have tried playing with fire."

He reiterated his commitment for removing encroachments and said, "You must have seen that many structures have been made on government land at various places. We have made more than 5,000 acre of land encroachment-free."

The Uttarakhand police has reportedly registered three separate FIRs on 19 named and 5,000 unknown accused involved in the violence. Out of the 19 named accused booked after violence, the police have so far arrested five.

On Thursday evening, a large team comprising 700 members from the police, administration, and municipal corporation went to demolish an illegal madrasa and prayer site constructed on government land.

This action provoked a violent response from a mob of 10,000 people from the Muslim-dominated area, who resorted to stone-pelting. The police station in Banbhoolpura was set ablaze with petrol bombs.