CURFEW was imposed here Thursday after local residents set vehicles on fire and hurled stones, injuring at least 60 people, over the demolition of an “illegally built” madarasa. Police said most of the around 60 people hospitalised after the violence in the city's Banbhoolpura area were police personnel and municipal workers involved in the demolition of a local madarasa.

 

Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Meena said that the madarasa demolition took place after a prior notice to the residents. A large number of local people gathered to resist the demolition team when it arrived, escorted by policemen. As a bulldozer razed the madarasa, mobs pelted stones at policemen and set fire to vehicles. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami summoned a meeting of senior officials. A curfew was announced in the entire Haldwani city.