A high alert has been sounded across the state following violence in Haldwani that broke out after the demolition of an “illegally-built” madrasa on Thursday.

Haldwani Violence: Uttarakhand ChiMinister Pushkar Dhami Friday said the perpetrators who “attempted to spoil the atmosphere in Dev Bhoomi” will be taken to task even as state police chief Abhinav Kumar stated that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) will be invoked against those who attacked cops during the violence which erupted in Haldwani following the razing of an “illegally built” Madrassa on Thursday.

“Action under the NSA will be taken against unruly elements who attacked police personnel, and indulged in arson and vandalism at the police station in Banbhoolpura,” said DGP Abhinav Kumar who visited the violence-hit town in Nainital district along with ADG (law and order) AP Anshuman to assess the situation in consultation with senior officials.

NSA against perpetrators

DGP Kumar said NSA will be slapped on miscreants who attacked police personnel and indulged in arson and vandalism in Haldwani.

The top cop informed that the situation has been brought under control to a large extent with the imposition of curfew but the efforts at the moment are focused on bringing back normalcy in the town within the next 24 hours.

Kumar held a meeting with district officials in Haldwani to get their feedback on the situation and visited the hospitals where the injured were admitted and the police station which was torched and vandalised by miscreants.

‘Those who attacked Dev Bhoomi…’

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also visited Haldwani on Friday and assessed security situation in the area. Dhami, who interacted with police personnel and others injured in the clashes violence and asserted that strict action will be taken against the miscreants who tried to “spoil the atmosphere” in ‘Dev Bhoomi’.

Addressing a press conference, the Uttarakhand CM condemned the Haldwani violence and said that some people have tried to spoil the atmosphere in ‘Dev Bhoomi’ and took the law into their own hands.

“The anti-encroachment drive has been going on as per the court’s direction. Yesterday, when the administration was trying to raze illegal property, this violence broke out and our Police personnel including women officers were attacked and stones were pelted at them. The administration had notified people beforehand. This is highly condemnable,” CM Dhami said.

He further said that the administration was attacked with petrol bombs and stones.

“Uttarakhand is ‘Dev Bhoomi’…this has never happened here…some people have tried to spoil the atmosphere in ‘Dev Bhoomi’ and took the law into their own hands…journalists were also attacked, their cameras were broken…public properties were burned…video footages will be checked, action will be taken…Law will take its own course,” he added.

Uttarakhand CM added that “video footage of the whole incident is being retrieved, and those who damaged govt and public property, will be made to pay for it…we are with the people who got injured.”

A high alert has been sounded across the state following violence in Haldwani that broke out after the demolition of an “illegally-built” madrasa and a place for offering namaz inside its premises in Malik ka Bageecha area in the Muslim-dominated Banbhoolpura locality.

Two people were killed and three critically injured in Thursday’s violence.

(With inputs from agencies)