Uttarakhand: Protest Erupts After Detentions Over Communal Clash At Dehradun Railway Station, More Than 300 Protesters Booked

The Uttarakhand police on Saturday (28 September) registered an FIR against 300-400 people, a day after road blockades were held at Dehradun’s iconic clock tower to protest detentions over a communal clash and vandalism at city railway station earlier this week.

The communal clash erupted at Dehradun railway station on Thursday (26 September) night after a Muslim girl, hailing from Badaun, UP, came to the city to meet a Hindu youth.

The incident came to light after passengers at the railway station witnessed the couple arguing. The RPF personnel took notice and intervened, taking the duo along with them for safety.

The girl’s family had filed a missing person complaint the day before in Badaun, unaware she had traveled to Dehradun.

Upon receiving news of the situation, the UP police informed the girl's family, who immediately left for Dehradun.

In the meantime, rumors of a communal incident began to circulate, leading to the formation of two groups at the railway station, one reportedly led by Bajrang Dal leader  Vikas Verma and the other by Asif Qureshi, 'president of the Dehradun city unit of Azad Samaj Party.'

The clashes eventually led to stone-pelting following which police intervened. Over 100 people, including Vikas Verma, were detained in connection with the incident. 

Verma’s detention, however, sparked massive widespread outrage across the city, with hundreds of people coming out on the streets to oppose the arrests made in the Dehradun stone-pelting incident.

Verma was later released by the police.

According to an FIR filed by Dehradun Kotwali SHO Chandrabhan Singh Adhikari on Saturday, a group of unidentified people gathered at the police station gate at 12.35 pm Friday, demanding the withdrawal of an FIR registered against Verma under various sections — including the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Soon, the crowd swelled, with some protesters closing Paltan Bazaar and heading towards the clock tower.

According to the FIR, protesters blocked the clock tower area, affecting traffic. As the crowd grew to about 300-400 people, additional police forces were called in.

The FIR stated that while many of the initial protesters dispersed following police intervention, a group continued blocking roads and shouting slogans against the police and government.

Despite repeated requests from police and senior officials to clear the roads, the blockade continued, also impacting emergency services like ambulance and fire service vehicles, it said.

The situation was brought under control and the road cleared around 4:10 pm, the FIR said.

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