Haldwani tense after 2 killed, 100 injured in clashes over demolition of madrasa

Haldwani area of Uttarakhand's Nainital district was tense after two people were killed and around a 100 police personnel injured in clashes that broke out over the demolition of an "illegally built" madrasa.

Curfew was imposed and shoot-at-sight orders issued after local residents set vehicles on fire and hurled stones at authorities involved in razing the local madrasa. Police said most of the around 60 people hospitalised after the riots in the city’s Banbhoolpura area were police personnel and municipal workers.

Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Meena said a notice was served earlier on the madrasa constructed illegally on government land.

A large number of local people gathered to resist the demolition team when it arrived, escorted by policemen.

As a bulldozer razed the madrasa, mobs pelted stones at policemen and set fire to vehicles.

Additional force was summoned to the area, police said.

In state capital Dehradun, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami summoned a meeting of senior officials. A curfew was announced in the entire Halwani city.

SSP Meena said the demolition was carried out in the presence of Municipal Commissioner Pankaj Upadhyay, City Magistrate Richa Singh and SDM Paritosh Verma.