Heavy police and drone teams have been deployed in Haldwani's Banbhoolpura area ahead of an anticipated Supreme Court verdict concerning alleged encroachment on 29 hectares of Railway land. The deployment is a precautionary measure given past unrest during demolition drives, with authorities appealing for peace and warning against rumour-mongering.
The Supreme Court has ruled that cryptic bail orders need not be revisited, asserting that a person's liberty hinges on the prosecution's case rather than judicial inaccuracies. This observation came while rejecting the Uttarakhand government's appeal against bail granted to Abdul Malik in the Banbhoolpura violence case, with the court also questioning the invocation of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The situation in the Banbhoolpura area in Haldwani, the epicentre of the mob violence last week, was normal on Monday as additional troops of paramilitary forces were deployed to maintain law and order, officials said.
Dhami said several acres of land were freed from encroachment during the demolition drive in the 'Malik Ka Bagicha' area of Banbhoolpura.
The Uttarakhand government has sought more central forces for deployment in Haldwani where violence erupted on February 8 after the demolition of an 'illegal' madrasa, officials said.
The curfew was imposed and the administration issued shoot-at-sight orders after stone-pelting incidents, torching of vehicles and a mob surrounded the local police station following the anti-encroachment drive.
The three FIRs were registered on Friday, and police stressed that there was no fresh violence and that the situation was under control.
Six rioters were killed in the violence that broke out over the demolition of an illegally built madrasa, officials said Friday as curfew remained enforced in Uttarakhand's Haldwani town.
