14 more held in connection with Haldwani violence, alleged mastermind's property attached

Dehradun: Fourteen people were arrested on Saturday in connection with the violence in Uttarakhand's Haldwani over the demolition of an illegally built madrassa, police said.

With these arrests, the total number of people held so far in the February 8 incident reached 58.

Violence broke out on February 8 over the demolition of an illegally built madrassa in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani, with locals hurling stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire.

In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than 100 people, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, according to the police.

Those arrested on Saturday include Shakeel Ansari, Maukeen Saifi and Zia ul Rahman whose posters were among the nine named accused put up on Friday across the town seeking information from the public on their whereabouts, police said.

However, Abdul Malik, the alleged mastermind of the violence, and his son Abdul Moid are still on the run. Their properties in the town are being attached, they said.

A non-bailable warrant and a lookout notice were issued against Malik and his son. Subsequently, posters of nine named accused, including the father-son duo, were pasted across the town on Friday.

Malik had got the madrassa built in and had opposed its demolition most vehemently. His wife Safia Malik had moved the High Court seeking suspension of the demolition exercise but failed to get immediate relief.

It is alleged that Malik had incited violence in Banbhoolpura on February 8 that left six people dead and more than 100 injured.