The Uttarakhand police on Saturday arrested the key accused in the violence, that took place in Banbhulpura, Haldwani on February 8.
State Director General of Police Abhinav Kumar has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for the Uttarakhand Police team that arrested Abdul Malik from Delhi, spokesperson IG Nilesh Bharne said.
The arrested accused, Abdul Malik, will soon be produced in court, said the police.
Uttarakhand Police Headquarters (PHQ) Spokesperson Nilesh Anand Bharne said, “The Nainital police were in a constant search for the mastermind of the Haldwani violence. The mastermind, Abdul Malik, today has been arrested in Dehli.”
“The arrested accused will soon be produced in court,” Bharne added.
Earlier on Wednesday, the police said that a total of 74 people had been arrested in the case.
Earlier in the day, Malik’s lawyers had moved an anticipatory bail application in the court of additional district and sessions judge, Haldwani.
Ajay Kumar Bahuguna, Malik’s lawyer, said, “We didn’t know that he had been arrested and moved an anticipatory bail application in the court. The bail application will be cancelled automatically.”
Bahuguna said, “Two-three days before the incident, Malik had left Haldwani and wasn’t in the town on the day of violence. He was in Dehradun.”
He said they were exploring all legal options and will likely move a bail application on the same grounds.”
Nainital senior superintendent of police (SSP) Prahlad Narayan Meena had earlier said that Abdul Malik who was the occupant of the “nazul land” had erected an illegal construction and had led the protest against the demolition.
The Nainital Police has already attached the properties of Abdul Malik and his son Abdul Moid.
The authorities had said that the violence had broken out during an anti-encroachment drive in Haldwani.
Stone-pelting incidents, torching of vehicles, and a mob surrounding the local police station were witnessed during the violence. To contain the situation, the administration had to issue a shoot-at-sight order in the area.
The Municipal Corporation here issued a recovery notice of Rs 2.44 crore against Abdul Malik, a key accused in the violence at Haldwani, asking him to deposit the money to cover damage caused to government property during the clash.
On the evening of February 8, chaos engulfed the Banbhulpura area within the Haldwani district as a contentious situation escalated into violent clashes. The trigger for the unrest was the demolition of two structures, the Masjid Mariam (mosque) and the Abdul Razzaq Zakaria madrasa, by civic authorities. The authorities alleged that these buildings were erected illegally on state government (Nazul) land. As the 22-year-old structures were being dismantled by workers from the Haldwani municipal corporation and the Nainital administration, tensions flared among the local residents.
Reports indicate that residents of the area responded to the demolition by setting several vehicles ablaze and attacking both the Banbhulpura police station and the demolition team with stones. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, leading to confrontations with the police personnel present at the scene. Police confirmed the escalation of violence and the ensuing clashes.
In response to the escalating violence, the administration took stringent measures, including issuing shoot-at-sight orders and imposing a curfew in the town. Despite these efforts, the violence resulted in the tragic loss of five lives and left approximately 150 individuals injured. Initially, it was believed that six individuals had perished in the turmoil. However, investigations later revealed a disturbing twist to one of the fatalities.
Authorities disclosed that one of the presumed victims, Prakash Kumar Singh, originally from Bihar, was not killed in the violence but was allegedly murdered by a police constable and his accomplices. The motive behind the murder was purportedly an alleged affair between Singh and the constable’s wife. Singh, aged 24, had reportedly migrated to Haldwani in search of employment. Constable Birendra Singh, aged 36, stationed in Udham Singh Nagar district, was arrested along with his brother-in-law Suraj Bain, aged 28, and associates Prem Singh, aged 30, and Naeem Khan, aged 50, in connection with Singh’s murder. Meanwhile, efforts were underway to locate the constable’s wife, who was reported to be absconding.
Days following the violent unrest, on February 20, the Nainital administration lifted the curfew from the Banbhulpura locality, signaling a tentative return to normalcy. However, legal ramifications continued to unfold as the Nainital Police registered multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) related to the attack on the police station, violence during the anti-encroachment drive, and vandalism of vehicles. Charges were filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Subsequently, the Nainital administration announced plans to allocate the reclaimed Nazul land in Banbhulpura to three departments for various purposes. These included earmarking land for a police station, a day care center for the children of migrant laborers, and a media center.
In a separate legal development, the Nainital Police filed an FIR against Malik, his wife Safia, and four others for allegedly engaging in illegal land activities under criminal conspiracy. Safia Malik, in response to a demolition notice issued by the Haldwani Municipal Corporation, had filed a petition in the Nainital High Court on February 6, claiming ownership of the disputed land since 1994.
Legal proceedings ensued, with arguments presented from both sides. Salman Khurshid, representing Safia Malik, argued that proper procedures were not followed during the demolition. On the other hand, Ashish Joshi, representing the Haldwani Municipal Corporation, asserted that the occupant failed to produce relevant documents, and the lease for the Nazul land had expired.
The court scheduled the next hearing for May 8, marking a continuation of the legal battle surrounding the contentious land in Banbhulpura.
In the violence, four people were killed and 250 policemen were injured. According to the police, the mob burnt down Banbhulpura police station. A curfew had to be imposed in the entire town for two days.
