DEHRADUN: Against the backdrop of a tense ambiance brought about by the indefinite curfew enforced in Banbhulpura, Haldwani, approximately 315 Muslim families have fled the city on Sunday.
In the wake of the demolition of a mosque and madrasa by the Haldwani Municipal Corporation as part of an "anti-encroachment drive" on February 8th, which sparked violence, that claimed the lives of five civilians, four of them Muslims, the police have detained around 140 suspected individuals for questioning.
According to official reports, "As a part of a substantial enforcement action, the district administration has rescinded the licenses of 120 authorized firearms within the impacted region."
These firearms are believed to have been utilized in the recent unrest. The administration has also directed the prioritization of compiling a roster of vandalized vehicles and properties, with intentions to seek restitution for the damages from identified rioters of the disturbances.
According to police sources, on Saturday, several people from the Banbhoolpura area were taken into custody for questioning.
Allegations have been made that the police also resorted to violence to crackdown on protests against the demolition. Fearing an extended curfew and the police, the families belonging to Muslim community have rapidly fled the area in recent days.
On Sunday morning, families were seen walking with their belongings on Bareilly Road. Due to the lack of transportation facilities, people were forced to walk 15 kilometers to reach Lal Kuan, from where they caught trains to various cities in Uttar Pradesh.
The district administration distributed a substantial quantity of essential items, including fruits, vegetables, milk, and gas, in the curfew-affected Banbhoolpura area on Monday morning.
This daily spoke to Mohammad Furkan who said, "I work as an electrician in Haldwani. After the disturbance in Banbhulpura, the strictness of the police has increased. They are harassing innocent people and out of fear they are fleeing to Bareilly to stay with relatives". He said that due to lack of transport facilities, he is forced to go on foot.
Salman Khan, another resident of Banbhoolpura area told that he is going to Baheri with three children. He said he would stay with his relatives there.
Around 315 houses belonging to Muslims in the Banbhulpura area have been locked down. Neighbours said all residents have vacated their homes.
Saleem, a resident of Rampur, who has fled the area in the wake of recent violence said that he had come to Haldwani in search of work with his family and was living in a rented room in Banbhulpura.
He works as a carpenter. Salim lamented that he will not return to Haldwani.
"I will earn lesser somewhere else, but I will be in peace," he said.
SSP Prahlad Narain Meena said, "The police have registered a case against the arrested miscreants under various sections including rioting, loot, damage to government property and murder."
He also added that, "Three cases have been lodged against the offenders, with one case specifically naming individuals and 5000 others as unidentified accomplices."