The delegation led by CPI-M polit bureau member, Brinda Karat and several others including Vijoo Krishnan (AIKS), Rajinder Negi, Mahinder Jakhmola, Lekhraj, Yusuf Tewari visited the affected area of Banbhoolpura in Haldwani and met scores of residents, including families of those killed in the mob-police violence on February 8;

Tracing the build-up to the mob violence on February 8, the letter states that while there was no stay on the demolition, the fact that the administration acted in such a manner when the High Court was seized of the case, reflected a flawed, even partisan view of the administration. Besides, states the letter, the case was not dismissed by the Court, it was posted for hearing and instead of waiting for the court hearing, the administration moved in with bulldozers within a few hours, which was both thoughtless and provocative.

During their day long visit, the delegation met family survivors of those killed in the violence and even journalists who had been injured. The delegation also met police personnel who had been injured.

The communication to the governor also questions the manner in which the demolition was done. Entire belongings were insensitively destroyed. “Instead of first removing the holy books kept in both the Madrasa and the Masjid before starting the operation, the books were removed only after the demolition had already started. The delegation saw video evidence of this. Rumours spread that the holy books had been damaged. This was not the case, but passions were inflamed,” reads the letter.

The letter to the governor also says that the delegation saw evidence of mob violence in the vehicles burnt. The police thana was also attacked. The thana itself has been renovated but the delegation was told by the thana in-charge of the damage to the thana by stone pelting. 

Significantly, the delegation met police squads who had been caught in the violence including a brave young woman police personnel, Vandana. She said that she was surrounded by the mob and was abused and threatened in vile language. She also suffered injuries through stone pelting. She told the delegation that she was saved by people of the community and she was given shelter along with other police personnel by a Muslim family who, she said, helped her. 

Stating that she is a brave lady as she was back on duty in the same area in a few days, the delegation has recommended that she should be awarded as also the Muslim family who gave her and others shelter.

In all, the delegation met families of five of the six persons who were killed. Four were killed in police firing; one was killed by his neighbour in a clearly communal killing and one died of stab injuries. The details are as follows:

The delegation met Shimmi whose husband Md Zahid and 17 year old son, Md Anas were both shot dead by the police. Zahid was a driver with a small pick-up vehicle. He had gone out to get milk for his four month old granddaughter. When he did not return for some time, Shimmi sent her son Anas to look for him. The next thing she knew was that both had been shot dead. She has two sons who dropped out of school after Covid and a married daughter Khushboo. She is presently living with her mother Mumtaz Begum. They have no income or any earning member. The tragic killings of her husband and son have devastated her. It is essential that the government should provide help and compensation on compassionate grounds to the family.

Besides, the delegation met Naseema whose husband Md Israr was shot dead by the police. He owns a four wheeler used for loading. They have four girls and two boys. The elder boy Suhail who works in a small car denting garage, told the delegation that he got a call from his father to come home early as there was trouble in the area. His father said that he himself was returning home after praying at the Masjid. The younger son Imran went out to where his father usually parked the vehicle. He saw his father walking home when suddenly there was firing and before the boy’s eyes, his father was shot dead. There was police firing in the area. It was indiscriminate and this innocent man was killed. Naseema has stopped speaking. Her young children are struggling with the situation. Only Suhail works, earning 8000 rupees a month. This family too desperately requires support. The government should give compensation and relief.

Notably, the fourth victim is a young boy of just 18 years. He suffered serious stab injuries, was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries a few days later. The police have not identified any suspects as yet. The delegation met his mother. She was too distraught to speak. She only said “I have lost my son.. What else is there for me to say”. Neighbours told the delegation that she refuses to meet anyone or speak. They said “she cries all the time”.

Tragically, while a mob of the community certainly indulged in attacking the police thana, the delegation has found that it appears those killed were not involved in the rioting and violence. Their families are in deep distress. Compensation and help is urgently required.

The delegation also met the family of Haji Fayeem who was shot dead by his neighbour. This was the only case which was clearly a communal killing. For this reason the delegation takes up this case separately and requests you to intervene in this case urgently. Fayeem and his family live in a colony which has a mixed population of Muslims on one side and Hindus on the other. His house along with his brother’s house were adjacent to the Hindu houses. 

The delegation was told that on February 8, a big group of men from the neighbouring houses attacked Fayeem’s house, pelting stones and burnt it. The group was led reportedly by one Sanjay Sonkar who was reportedly a former leader of the Congress and is presently with the BJP. All the vehicles of the family parked outside the house were set on fire. Fayeem came rushing down to try and save his vehicles but was shot dead. There are eye witnesses including Fayeem’s brother Parvez who saw the killing. There were women and children inside the house at that time. The delegation met them. They said they were saved by the thana in-charge who came to the spot and took them to safety. They were deeply thankful to him.

Unfortunately, the delegation narrates in the letter that several others in the local police did not behave in a similar way.

The delegation saw videos of the attack on the house of Fayeem where the police can be clearly seen standing by while the house is being attacked. Slogans can be heard including “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Shri Ram”. What is most disturbing and indeed shocking is that despite clear evidence against the attackers and murderers, named in a complaint by Parvez, the police have not even filed an FIR, leave alone arrest the accused. When the delegation inquired why an FIR was not filed and arrests not made, the police said the inquiry is still going on.

Most significantly, the fourth finding of the delegation is that this case clearly was a communal killing. The police has shown a bias in its dealing of the case to protect the accused. This requires the urgent intervention of the Governor, to bring justice to the family of Fayeem.

Among the several people met and interviewed by the delegation, were several women who were victims of police brutality following the incident. On February 10, police broke into at least fifty houses, if not more, hitting out at women and children, manhandling the women. This is in violation of police norms which prohibit male police from handling women. Items in the house were also broken by the police. 

Some of the women suffered serious injuries. In the name of finding the “culprits” the police made random searches, breaking into houses terrorizing families who had nothing to do with the incidents. Apart from this the delegation was told that scores of young men were randomly picked up by the police and kept in a makeshift “jail camp” in Kunwarpur inter college campus, (Gola Paar). The delegation was told that the boys were severely beaten and suffered injuries from which they are yet to recover. There is a palpable sense of fear in the area.

The letter to the governor also narrates the finding of the delegation that having suffered injuries in the condemnable stone pelting attacks by the mob on February 8, the police took it out on members of the community. Innocent women, children and young men were subjected to severe beatings. The delegation also saw videos of policemen throwing stones and bricks. Thus, while the delegation strongly condemns the attacks on the police and journalists, one section of the police has brought disgrace to the force by these actions and action should be taken against them.

In its concluding finding, the delegation is concerned that the arrests, already over 100, are being made ostensibly on the basis of video evidence but the “evidence” is more in the nature of presence in the area. When the delegation inquired as to why six women had been arrested, which included an ailing sixty five year old and also a breast feeding mother, the police said they were “inciting “ the crowd. There is no question that anyone guilty of violence and arson must be punished, but imprisoning women on flimsy charges and putting stringent clauses against them do not serve the ends of justice.

Finally, the CPI-M led delegation has urged an independent inquiry, if instituted, will bring out all the different aspects referred to above. We urge you to set-up such a probe which must include as its first term of reference what we consider, the wrong, unjust, disastrous decision and its implementation to demolish the Masjid and Madrasa without waiting for the court decision.

The entire text of the letter to Governor may be read below:

Hon’ble Governor
Lt. General Gurmit Singh ji
Uttarakhand

Ref: Report and Findings of CPI(M) Delegation to Banbhoolpura, Haldwani

Sir,

This is to draw your attention to the findings of a CPI(M) delegation which visited Haldwani on March 13. The delegation comprised of Brinda Karat, Vijoo Krishnan, Rajinder Negi, Mahinder Jakhmola, Lekhraj, Yusuf Tewari and others. The delegation visited the affected area of Banbhoolpura and met scores of residents, including families of those killed. It met journalists who had been injured. It also met police personnel who had been injured.

1. The unfortunate events of February 8, leading to violence, police firing, loss of lives, injuries, loss of livelihood was a consequence of the decision and action of the administration to bulldoze a Madrasa and a Masjid, even while the case was posted for hearing on February 14, by a Bench of the High Court. The argument of the administration that the plea for a stay on the demolition was not accepted by the High Court thus the demolition was legal, itself shows the flawed approach of the administration. The case was not dismissed by the Court, it was posted for hearing and instead of waiting for the court hearing, the administration moved in with bulldozers within a few hours, which was both thoughtless and provocative.

2. The manner in which the demolition was done is also questionable. Instead of first removing the holy books kept in both the Madrasa and the Masjid before starting the operation, the books were removed only after the demolition had already started. The delegation saw video evidence of this. Rumours spread that the holy books had been damaged. This was not the case, but passions were inflamed.

The first finding of the delegation is that the administration must be held responsible for a wrong decision and further, insensitive implementation. The entire incident was totally avoidable.

3. The delegation saw evidence of mob violence in the vehicles burnt. The police thana was also attacked. The thana itself has been renovated but the delegation was told by the thana in-charge of the damage to the thana by stone pelting. The delegation met police squads who had been caught in the violence including a brave young woman police personnel, Vandana. She said that she was surrounded by the mob and was abused and threatened in vile language. She also suffered injuries through stone pelting. She told the delegation that she was saved by people of the community and she was given shelter along with other police personnel by a Muslim family who, she said, helped her. She is a brave lady as she was back on duty in the same area in a few days. She should be awarded as also the Muslim family who gave her and others shelter.

4. We heard a similar experience from journalists who were also caught in the mob violence. Many have lost their cameras and some told the delegation that their two wheelers had been burnt. The insurance companies are delaying the compensation. The Government should assist the media personnel in this process. The journalists told the delegation that they were protected by members of the community who took them to a nearby Masjid and gave them protection. This is a clear indication that there was nothing communal in the violence but a reaction to the demolitions.

The second finding of the delegation is that there was a spontaneous outburst of anger at the demolitions and the rumour that the holy books had been damaged. There was no pre-planned conspiracy. In this context the use of UAPA against the rioters is questionable. While all those involved in the violence must be punished, indiscriminate arrests using the draconian provisions of UAPA must be reconsidered.

5. The delegation met families of five of the six persons who were killed. Four were killed in police firing; one was killed by his neighbour in a clearly communal killing and one died of stab injuries. The details are as follows:

The delegation met Shimmi whose husband Md Zahid and 17 year old son, Md Anas were both shot dead by the police. Zahid was a driver with a small pick-up vehicle. He had gone out to get milk for his four month old granddaughter. When he did not return for some time, Shimmi sent her son Anas to look for him. The

next thing she knew was that both had been shot dead. She has two sons who dropped out of school after Covid and a married daughter Khushboo. She is presently living with her mother Mumtaz Begum. They have no income or any earning member. The tragic killings of her husband and son have devastated her. It is essential that the government should provide help and compensation on compassionate grounds to the family.

The delegation met Naseema whose husband Md Israr was shot dead by the police. He owns a four wheeler used for loading. They have four girls and two boys. The elder boy Suhail who works in a small car denting garage, told the delegation that he got a call from his father to come home early as there was trouble in the area. His father said that he himself was returning home after praying at the Masjid. The younger son Imran went out to where his father usually parked the vehicle. He saw his father walking home when suddenly there was firing and before the boy’s eyes, his father was shot dead. There was police firing in the area. It was indiscriminate and this innocent man was killed. Naseema has stopped speaking. Her young children are struggling with the situation. Only Suhail works, earning 8000 rupees a month. This family too desperately requires support. The government should give compensation and relief.

The fourth victim is a young boy of just 18 years. He suffered serious stab injuries, was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries a few days later. The police have not identified any suspects as yet. The delegation met his mother. She was too distraught to speak. She only said “I have lost my son.. What else is there for me to say”. Neighbours told the delegation that she refuses to meet anyone or speak. They said “she cries all the time”.

The third finding of the delegation is that it appears those killed were not involved in the rioting and violence. Their families are in deep distress. Compensation and help is urgently required.

6. The delegation met the family of Haji Fayeem who was shot dead by his neighbour. This was the only case which was clearly a communal killing. For this reason the delegation takes up this case separately and requests you to intervene in this case urgently.

Fayeem and his family live in a colony which has a mixed population of Muslims on one side and Hindus on the other. His house along with his brother’s house were adjacent to the Hindu houses. The delegation was told that on February 8, a big group of men from the neighbouring houses attacked Fayeem’s house, pelting stones and burnt it. The group was led reportedly by one Sanjay Sonkar who was reportedly a former leader of the Congress and is presently with the BJP. All the vehicles of the family parked outside the house were set on fire. Fayeem came rushing down to try and save his vehicles but was shot dead. There are eye witnesses including Fayeem’s brother Parvez who saw the killing. There were women and children inside the house at that time. The delegation met them. They said they were saved by the thana in-charge who came to the spot and took them to safety. They were deeply thankful to him.

However, the same cannot be said of other members of the police. The delegation saw videos of the attack on the house of Fayeem where the police can be clearly seen standing by while the house is being attacked. Slogans can be heard including “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Shri Ram”. What is most disturbing and indeed shocking is that despite clear evidence against the attackers and murderers, named in a complaint by Parvez, the police have not even filed an FIR, leave alone arrest the accused. When the delegation inquired why an FIR was not filed and arrests not made, the police said the inquiry is still going on.

The fourth finding of the delegation is that this case clearly was a communal killing. The police has shown a bias in its dealing of the case to protect the accused. This requires your urgent intervention to bring justice to the family of Fayeem.

7. The delegation met many women who were victims of police brutality following the incident. On February 10, police broke into at least fifty houses, if not more, hitting out at women and children, manhandling the women. This is in violation of police norms which prohibit male police from handling women. Items in the house were also broken by the police. Some of the women suffered serious injuries. In the name of finding the “culprits” the police made random searches, breaking into houses terrorizing families who had nothing to do with the incidents. Apart from this the delegation was told that scores of young men were randomly picked up by the police and kept in a makeshift “jail camp” in Kunwarpur inter college campus, (Gola Paar). The delegation was told that the boys were severely beaten and suffered injuries from which they are yet to recover. There is a palpable sense of fear in the area.

The fifth finding of the delegation is that having suffered injuries in the condemnable stone pelting attacks by the mob on February 8, the police took it out on members of the community. Innocent women, children and young men were subjected to severe beatings. The delegation also saw videos of policemen throwing stones and bricks. Thus, while the delegation strongly condemns the attacks on the police and journalists, one section of the police has brought disgrace to the force by these actions and action should be taken against them.

In its concluding finding, the delegation is concerned that the arrests, already over 100, are being made ostensibly on the basis of video evidence but the “evidence” is more in the nature of presence in the area. When the delegation inquired as to why six women had been arrested, which included an ailing sixty five year old and also a breast feeding mother, the police said they were “inciting “ the crowd. There is no question that anyone guilty of violence and arson must be punished, but imprisoning women on flimsy charges and putting stringent clauses against them do not serve the ends of justice.

An independent inquiry, if instituted, will bring out all the different aspects referred to above. We urge you to set-up such a probe which must include as its first term of reference what we consider, the wrong, unjust, disastrous decision and its implementation to demolish the Masjid and Madrasa without waiting for the court decision.

We request you to take appropriate action.

Yours sincerely

Brinda Karat (Polit Bureau member), Dr. Vijoo Krishnan (Central Committee member), Rajinder Negi (Uttarakhand State Secretary)

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As of now, it has been reported that seven people were killed during the violence. The report details that six were killed by police bullets, and one allegedly by the bullet of a civilian and local resident named Sanjay Sonkar. The report also documents that locals attest that the actual number of casualties would be around 18-20, as people are fearful of coming out and speaking given the fear of police brutality. 

As reports of “police excess” continue to come in, the fact-finding report specifies that no ‘written’ shoot-on-sight order was given, and in fact, and authorities were acting on ‘internal information’ when they fired. The report also suggests that there was a “planned conspiracy with marked outsiders that led to violence and arson”, including the burning of the police station, each of which is being used to falsely implicate and terrorise Muslim residents of the area.   The report states that, “the entire incident appears to be a well-planned conspiracy.” Even, Sumit Hridyesh, MLA of Haldwani, has asserted and said that the incident was the result of a well-planned conspiracy. Hridyesh had earlier also stated that the authorities acted in a hurry to demolish the mosque and madrasa. 

One reason for stating that “this entire incident appears to be a well-planned conspiracy,” was how deliberately “electricity (was cut off) around 5 p.m. anticipating that all the inverters would be exhausted by 7 or 8 pm in the evening. Consequently, the entire region experienced a blackout due to the power outage even as firing induced violence continued. (details below)

Background

Banbhoolpura is an area that holds a considerable Muslim presence. Observers have repeatedly stated that the violence that took place earlier this month was entirely unprecedented in Haldwani. However, Uttarakhand has been in the news prior to this incident for anti-Muslim incidents and hate speeches in the state. As the report states, this incident is not without precedent. Accusations of ‘love-jihad’, ‘mazaar-jihad’, and ‘land-jihad’ on Muslims have been spearheaded by several politicians from BJP. 

Similarly, the report details that prominent faces in the state government, including elected officials along with radical right-wing organisations have been involved in making speeches and comments that keep communal fires stoked. 

“The state government led by the Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami and radical right-wing citizen groups have together contributed to a highly polarising narrative with many disturbing elements. One strand of this discourse is about creating Uttarakhand as a ‘Devbhoomi’ the holy land for Hindus which would have no place for other religious minorities.” The report details that the CM Dhami has been mostly silent about unauthorised Hindu structures on forests and Nazool lands, while on the other hand he has boasted about the government’s destruction of 3000 Mazaars (shrines). 

The administration, according to intelligence provided by the Nainital Local Intelligence Unit, was well aware that unrest would occur if they went ahead with the demolition. The report details that officials gave conflicting statements and just three days prior to the incident, the government suddenly stopped drone surveillance that was being conducted earlier in the area. 

On January 30, 2024, the report chronologically documents that eviction notices were served which gave a two-day notice for the Mosque and Madrasa in Haldwani. However, despite pleas from local Ulemas and a legal intervention by Sofiya Malik in the High Court, a rather hurrief demolition was embarked upon. The High Court heard the petition of Sofia Malik who holds the leasehold over the land. The bench heard the matter on February 8 and gave the date for the next hearing on February 14 without passing any interim order. However, even while the matter was sub judice and before the High Court, the Municipal office sealed the structures on February 4, 2024.  

The day of violence

Thereafter, despite the matter being sub-judice, on the evening of February 8, 2024, the Municipal office, accompanied by police presence, started the demolition of the sealed Mosque and Madrasa.  As per the report, a large number of women came together to protest against the demolition. However, the women were allegedly abused, manhandled, beaten and forcefully removed. 

In the midst of this unrest, the police unsealed the Masjid and Madrasa. They even chose to ignore their earlier instructions to give the sacred items in the buildings to the Maulana.  The report details that the persons who were throwing stones at the police were masked, and from a different locality.  During this time, the report also details that some sanitation workers, mainly from the Valmiki Community, gave the police their support and reportedly organised members from their community against Muslims. This resulted in the conflict turning communal, states the report. During the vandalism and attacks on Muslims, chants of ‘Jai Sri Ram’ were also reported by locals, states the report. 

The report states that “some individuals wearing masks arrived at the police station and began stone- pelting and setting vehicles on fire. They appeared to have no fear of the police or gunfire as air-firing had been occurring until that point. All the vehicles and the Police van caught fire shortly afterward. Such an incident has never occurred in this city before…”

Prior to the time the police station was set to fire, the locals reported that the electricity was cut around 5 pm, by 7 pm, with inverters exhausted, the entire area was in a blackout. It was also around 7 pm that multiple incidents happened simultaneously. About three people were fatally shot and killed around this time. Furthermore, the report describes that it was during this power outage that unidentified people came and set the police station on fire, “During the blackout, some individuals reportedly arrived in masks and set the police station on fire. They appeared to be unfamiliar with the surroundings suggesting they were from different localities. Furthermore, their speech tones and accents were markedly different from those of the people of Banbhoolpura.”

 “During the blackout, some individuals arrived and set the police station on fire. They appeared to be unfamiliar with the surroundings suggesting they were from different localities. Furthermore, their speech tones and accents were markedly different from those of the people of Banbhoolpura.”

A total of approximately 1000 rounds of firing are reported to have been fired and locals learned later that night of the ‘shoot at sight’ order.

Narratives of police brutality

The next day, the report documents how, reportedly, the police carried out a harsh assault on residents near Malik ka Bageecha. Over 100 people were detained, and women and children too endured brutal beatings and assault. The wife of a journalist named Saleem Khan, was also reportedly brutally assaulted and injured.  Thus, despite four days having passed, when the team visited on February 14, 2024, the entire area continued to be deserted, and people are further being subjected to violence and brutality, as per the report. While, official records assert that only 30-36 people are detained, the report says that the reality paints a different picture the police have established detention centres where scores of people are being held against their will. According to former IFS officer Ashok Sharma, the police even used a local school to hold detained people which served as an ‘interrogation and detention centre.’

Watch Former IFS officer Ashok Sharma talk about what he witnessed and what he learned during his visit to Haldwani. @PCITweets pic.twitter.com/d0EpL5Ix0h

— FOEJ Media (@FoejMedia) February 15, 2024

Furthermore, even as the curfew set in, reports of police brutality continued to come in. These included reports of police entering homes forcefully and assaulting women, children, and men on the night of February 8, 9 and 10 as families continued to flee the region. 

Harrowing narratives from Haldwani continue. A Newslaundry report brings testimonies from the ground where an 18 year old Muslim boy named Kaif got his skull fractured after, he says, the police barged in his house and beat him, “About five cops broke the door of our house and barged inside. Then they thrashed me with lathis. I pleaded with them to spare me but they kept saying that I was pelting stones on February 8…they did not listen to me. Why would I pelt stones at the police? I don’t have a father, I have to earn for my family. I am a construction worker. I hardly earn Rs 100 a day. But they did not listen to me even once.” 

Related:

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The post Haldwani minorities fear deaths to be higher than official figures, narrate tales of police brutality & complicity: Fact-finding report appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A few days from the demolition, which saw initially five civilians dead and over 60 people injured, the police have started investigations and now the total number of people taken into custody has now reached 30, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Meena.

The Municipal Corporation has made public a recovery notice which shows an amount that is up to Rs 2.44 crore against one Abdul Malik who said by the police to be a ‘key’ accused. The notice stated that Malik, along with his supporters organised an attack on the team that was going to be conducting a demolition drive and thus, this resulted in damage to government properties belonging to the municipal corporation.

According to Hindustan Times, a number of BJP Members of Parliament have alleged that the violence in Haldwani was organised as part of a conspiracy and that there is no need for leniency with ‘them’. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harnath Yadav has stated that, “The incident in Haldwani is a conspiracy. Bombs, country pistols, and other weapons were used, and government officials and police were attacked. There should be an order to shoot rioters at sight… There is no need to be lenient with them.”

However, local residents have stated that they are being harassed by the police. A report by Al Jazeera stated that Muslims injured with gunshot wounds are left untreated due to fear. One of injured told the media house that he is afraid to go to government hospitals as they fear the police would arrest them unjustly. Private hospitals, they say, is something they cannot afford. As reported by Scroll, residents claim that police officials forced themselves in their homes, and even assaulted women as they detained their men in the Banphoolpura area. In response to such allegations, Uttarakhand Director General of Police, Abhinav Kumar, reportedly told Scroll, “We have no intention of acting against anyone without evidence.” Kumar further stated that police had faced aggression from “a well-prepared” and violent mob at the area. According to police accounts, the mob pelted stones, torched cars and even the police station.

The Print spoke to families of those who were killed and are no in mourning after the incidents have left their loved ones dead. One family has also alleged that their neighbours, a man named Sonkar who along with his sons was trying to torch their vehicles. Sonkar had also reportedly used anti-Muslim slurs against the family previously. They reportedly also saw Sonkar firing. The Print reports the case of one Usman Shaban, who had gone to look for his brother but was short directly at the back and declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Another of the men who was shot dead was from Bihar’s Araria, Prakash Kumar, who had arrived at Haldwani in search of work the very same day he was shot dead. The police have stated that they will impose the NSA against ‘unruly elements’. 

Investigation and the “planned violence”

Meanwhile, a report by India News alleges that over 300 Muslims families have fled from the area. Several of them had to migrate by foot as no travelling conveyance was available to the then in effect curfew.

On Sunday, a delegation from Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind visited Haldwani met with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). Following the meeting with the SDM, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Abdul Raziq, publicly voiced concerns that the decision to demolish the mosque was made ‘hastily’ by the administration, and stated that, “We came here to appeal for peace in the area. We have requested the SDM to ensure that actions are not taken against innocent people. It has happened because the demolition drive was carried out suddenly.” Congress member and MLA of Haldwani too had earlier mentioned that the demolition came into place with the administration’s ‘jaldbaazi’. It is to be of note that reports attest that the demolition of the mosque was still at the time subjudice.

Related: 

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The post Haldwani: Police allege planned mob attack, as local Muslims state police harassing and detaining family members without evidence appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Following these events, a curfew was enacted and shoot on sight orders were given. Five Muslims are now dead after the incident, Maktoob has reported that their names are Zahid known as Johnny along with his son Anas who was a minor aged 16,  Shahbaan, Faheem, and Salman. Maktoob Media has reported narratives from those who survived the violence has stated “As the police subjected us to beatings, a mob simultaneously set the area’s transformer ablaze, causing a power outage. Exploiting the darkness, the police surrounded us from all sides. They seemed intent on harming us without restraint or discrimination. It was a purposeless assault but with a clear and targeted agenda.” Additionally, reports suggest that Hindu mobs targeted properties owned by Muslims on the streets during the night.

Speaking in Almora, ANI reported the chief minister of Uttarakhand stating that encroachers will not be ‘spared’, speaking at a rally CM Dhami can be seen saying, “…Whoever is responsible for breaking the laws (Haldwani incident) will not be spared. The rioters will not be spared and soon they will realise that they have tried playing with fire. We are trying to remove encroachments from different parts of the state.”

#WATCH | Almora: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, “…Whoever is responsible for breaking the laws (Haldwani incident) will not be spared…The rioters will not be spared and soon they will realise that they have tried playing with fire…We are trying to remove… pic.twitter.com/arLLc1XjBn

— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2024

According to the Hindustan Times, the  Senior Superintendent of Police PN Meena of Nainital has stated that they have arrested five people and 19 others who have been named in the three registered FIR. In addition to that, 5,000 more people have been named in the FIR.

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Historic 600 year old Delhi mosque demolished without notice

The post Haldwani: Day after 5 Muslims killed, fear and tension grip the region as internet ban continues appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Harrowing videos have emerged of police beating protesting Muslims, including Muslim women. Multiple women and men were injured after the police fired rubber bullets and even tear gas. The incident unfolded just hours after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued shoot on sight orders after meeting with senior officials yesterday.

Police and municipal workers who were conducting the demolition process also faced injuries during the clashes and some people reportedly also set police vehicles to fire.

Reports have emerged of Hindu mobs allegedly targeting Muslim-owned properties on the streets yesterday night despite a curfew, according to The Observer Post. Several anti-Muslim slogans were also spoken, according to the report. Slogans such as “Katu*# (a slur against Muslims), we will rape your sisters,” was also heard.

According to Maktoob Media, several journalists and residents of the area were detained and an internet ban was imposed.

Meanwhile, social media appears to be rife with posts about Muslims in a derogatory manner. Many claims were seen being made about demographic conspiracies against Muslims about population ‘explosion’.

Hindutva inclined writer Anand Ranganathan too commented on the issue, highlighting how ‘demography’ is the ‘destiny’.

This is not Baghdad or Kabul – this is a police station being burnt to the ground by a Muslim mob in Haldwani, India, in response to a court order to remove an illegal Madrasa. More than 60 policemen have been seriously injured.

Demography is destiny. pic.twitter.com/AOhiUviDVz

— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) February 9, 2024

Similarly, another user, Lukky Vaishnav posted, making demographic claims.

20 years ago there was a 1% muslim population in #Haldwani.
Now its about 20%
Wake up hindus before it’s too late for you.#Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/t0fDR3hy6N

— Lukky Vaishnav (@LukkyVaishnav) February 8, 2024

Vaishnav’s comments section is filled with similar comments by seemingly Hindutva inclined accounts talking about an alleged conspiracy of Muslims to ‘take over’ the Hindu population in the state.

Meanwhile, Sumit Hridayesh an MLA from Haldwani from the Indian National Congress, has stated that the officials acted in a “jaldbaazi’ and did not take the local residents of the area, the Maulanas of the Madarsa into ‘confidence’. “You cannot reach there without any information. Today is a black day. Haldwani has always been a harmonious peace.”

अस्पताल में सम्मानित मीडिया बंधुओ से वार्ता। @INCUttarakhand pic.twitter.com/NP6TqRiKTS

— Sumit Hridayesh (@SumitHridayesh) February 8, 2024

Recently, an Amnesty International report emerged that demolitions of private properties are being used as a punitive measure against India’s Muslims. It also stated that India’s provisions for demolitions do not meet international standards for human rights.

As per a report of Scroll, Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh provided that the demolition had been carried out as per the High Court order. The District Magistrate provided that the demolition was not an “isolated activity and was not targeted at any particular property”.

She further stated that “Everyone was given notice and time for hearing. Some did approach the High Court. Some were given time while some were not given time.”

As per local councillor Shakeel Ahmad, Uttarakhand High Court did not give a final decision on removing the encroachment. As provided by a report of Indian Express, Ahmad stated “The next date of hearing was February 14 and when the administration came, we requested them to stop until then. We said that we will not stop the administration from demolishing the structure if the court decision is against us. But they did not listen.”

High Court denies immediate relief

As per a report of National Herald, prior to the demolition, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) had been moved by the Malik colony resident Safia Malik and others to the Uttarakhand High Court. the plea sought for judicial intervention in stopping the demolition of the Mosque and the madrassa. The notice given by the Haldwani Municipal Corporation to the petitioners had been challenged through the said plea.

However, in the order issued on February 8, the vacation bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit had refused to grant any relief to the petitioners, and kept the hearing of the said matter on February 14. Pursuant to this, the demolition exercise had begun.

The order of the court can be found here:

It is pertinent to highlight here that the authorities have been unclear about the High Court order that is being used to demolish the alleged “illegal” Madrassa and Mosque.

Related:

Demolitions as retributive state policy used against minorities in India: Amnesty

Historic 600 year old Delhi mosque demolished without notice

Hate Speeches on the rise in UP and Uttarakhand

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