Mahiyar Rohinton Patel, Pune
Abdul Malik, the alleged mastermind behind the Haldwani violence of February 8, has been arrested by a team of Nainital policemen in Delhi. According to official sources, six different teams were formed to search for Abdul Malik and his son Moid, who is a co-accused in the case. The police teams were deployed across different states. The search for the pair was conducted across Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
What happened on February 8?
Abdul Malik had illegally constructed a mosque in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani. The city administration decided to demolish the structure. Abdul Malik, his son Moid, and his wife Sofia vehemently opposed the demolition and approached the courts for relief. The court did not provide immediate relief to him. On Feb 8, as the municipal workers approached the site and started demolition work, they were attacked. Locals hurled stones and petrol bombs at the municipal workers, seriously injuring many of them. More violent encounters between the police and the locals followed this incident. There were also cases of looting and arson in the area. Over 100 policemen were injured.
All schools and colleges were closed after the Uttarakhand state administration issued a high alert throughout the state. Internet services were also cut in the region. The administration also ordered the closure of all shops and establishments as the violence escalated. Late into the evening, Banbhoolpura police station was torched by angry protestors. As the violence kept escalating, the district magistrate ordered shoot-on-sight orders. As the carnage and violence finally died down, it left 6 dead and 150 injured, including 100 cops.
The Nainital SSP, Prahlad Narayan Meena, said that the police have registered a FIR against Malik, his wife Safia, and four others for capturing land and building a mosque over it. They have allegedly used a deceased person’s name to transfer the land to them under the provisions of a criminal conspiracy.
SSP Meena had earlier said that Abdul Malik, who was the occupant of the ‘government land,’ had erected an illegal construction and had led the protest against the demolition.
Who is Abdul Malik?
Malik is a landlord who owns vast swathes of land across Haldwani. In 2004, he fought the Lok Sabha elections. He was given a ticket by the BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party). On the day Abdul Malik decided to file his election papers, he was accompanied by a mob of over 100 people. The show of strength for filing his nomination did not turn into electoral gains for Malik, as he lost the election to a Congress candidate.
Abdul Malik’s lawyer, Ajay Kumar Bahuguna, said, “Two-three days before the violence, Malik had left Haldwani and wasn’t in the town on the day of the violence. He was in Dehradun.” Malik’s lawyer also questioned the rationale behind declaring his client the main accused. As of today, over 81 people have been arrested for the violence in Haldwani on February 8th.
Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Chief Minister of Dehradun, announced that a new police station would come up on the illegally occupied land.