Curfew in Haldwani after violence over razing of 'illegally built' madrasa
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Photo: PTI
Haldwani: A curfew was enforced here on Thursday after locals set fire to vehicles and flung stones, injuring at least 60 people, in protest at the demolishing of an "illegally built" madrasa.
Police stated the majority of the around 60 individuals injured following the incident in the city's Banbhoolpura district were police officers and municipal officials participating in the demolition of a local madrasa.
Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Mena 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 the state capital Dehradun, Chief Minister Pushcart Singh Dhabi summoned a meeting of senior officials. A curfew was announced in the entire Halwani city.
SSP Mena said the demolition was carried out in the presence of Municipal Commissioner Panda Upadhyay, City Magistrate Richa Singh and SDM Paritosh Verma.
With PTI inputs