Within a day of the announcement by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami that a police station will be built on the spot where illegal construction was demolished, the Nainital Police have established a temporary police outpost on the land parcel that was freed of encroachment recently in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani.
The police post was inaugurated by women personnel who were injured in the attack by the Islamist mob in the violence on 8th February.
On 12th February, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announced at a public event in Haridwar that the rioters who had attacked the police personnel and had even assaulted the women police personnel during the anti-encroachment drive on 8th, will not be spared. He had added that a police station would be established on the land parcel that was made free of illegal encroachment that day.
CM Dhami had condemned the attack on police personnel and municipal officials in strong words and had assured that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
On 8th February, the civic authorities in Haldwani went to demolish an illegal madrasa built on government land in Banbhoolpura when a Muslim mob attacked them. It resulted in a wave of violence across Uttarakhand’s Haldwani, leaving at least six people dead and over 300 police personnel injured. Superintendent of Police Harbans Singh confirmed the same on 9th February. Uttarakhand authorities have registered three First Information Reports (FIR) against 5000 unnamed, and 19 known individuals.
The Nainital Police have arrested 30 rioters and seized pistols, guns, and other ammunition from them. Speaking to ANI, SSP Nainital said that police have recovered 99 of the police ammunition looted by the rioters when they attacked Banbhoolpura police station on 8th February. He added that efforts are on to arrest the main accused Abdul Malik. Malik, who reportedly masterminded the attack during the demolition drive at the place known as ‘Malik Ka Bageecha’, has been absconding. The authorities have slapped a recovery notice of Rs 2.44 crores on him for damage to government properties and vehicles.