Another person injured in Haldwani violence dies during treatment; death toll rises to six

On February 8, violence broke out over the demolition of an 'illegally-built' madrassa in the Banbhoolpura area.

Haldwani: One more person injured in recent violence in this Uttarakhand town died during treatment at a hospital here on Tuesday, while a police outpost was set up in the affected area within 24 hours of an announcement made in this regard by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, police said.

Inaugurated by two women police personnel injured in the violence that broke out on February 8 over the demolition of an "illegally-built" madrasa, the police chowki consists of a head constable, four constables and some Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel to keep an eye on unruly elements in the area, Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prahlad Narayan Meena told a press conference here.

Dhami had on Monday said a police station would come up on the land freed from encroachment in Haldwani's Banbhoolpura, where violence erupted last week after authorities razed the madrasa.

Mohammad Israr (50), who had sustained a gunshot injury in the violence, died at the Sushila Tiwari Hospital where he was under treatment.

The body has been sent for post-mortem, Meena said.

Israr was among the three people who were critically injured in the clashes between an irate mob and security personnel.

His death has taken the number of people killed in the clashes to six, the SSP added.

Though six bodies were found a day after the clashes, top officials of the state had put the death toll in the February 8 violence at five.

The SSP told reporters on Sunday that the sixth body bearing a bullet wound was found two-three kilometres away from the scene of the clashes and could be unrelated to the incident.

Meanwhile, six more people have been arrested in connection with the February 8 violence, the officer said.

The latest arrests have taken the total number of people held in connection with the violence to 36, police said. Those arrested are Shoaib, Bhola alias Sohail, Sameer Pasha, Junaid, Sahil Ansari and Shahnawaz.

They have been arrested for stone pelting, allegedly setting the Banbhoolpura police station on fire, clashing with police personnel and torching municipal corporation vehicles, the SSP said.

In pursuance of an order issued by the Nainital district administration to cancel 120 arms licences of the residents of the affected area, 41 licensed weapons have been seized, he added.

District Magistrate Vandana Singh constituted an eight-member panel on Tuesday to protect the human rights of the local residents.

Meanwhile, security was tightened in Banbhoolpura on Tuesday, a day before a scheduled hearing in the Uttarakhand High Court on a petition challenging the municipal corporation's notice for the demolition of the madrasa and a prayer site inside its premises.

Banbhoolpura, which was the epicentre of the clashes, has been under a curfew since February 8.

Police personnel and municipal corporation workers were attacked on February 8 and a police station was set on fire.