At least four individuals lost their lives in the unrest that ensued in a northern Indian state following the demolition of a mosque, with authorities claiming it was constructed illegally.
Violence erupted in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani town during what police say was an “anti-encroachment drive”.
Authorities stated that the drive was initiated to clear illegal constructions, which included the mosque and an adjacent madrassa (religious school).
However, Muslims who frequented the mosque claim they were unfairly targeted. The clashes, which erupted on Thursday evening, resulted in injuries to hundreds of protesters and police personnel.
Videos showed protesters setting vehicles ablaze and hurling stones, while police responded by deploying tear gas.
To regain control, authorities have imposed a curfew and issued ‘shoot-at-sight’ orders throughout the state.
The incident occurred in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani. The district experienced extensive protests in January last year following eviction notices served to over 50,000 individuals, predominantly Muslims, alleging illegal occupation of land owned by the Indian Railways. The demolitions were subsequently halted by India’s highest court.
Officials stated that the recent action was prompted by a high court directive instructing authorities to remove illegal settlements from the area.
District Magistrate Vandana Singh explained that the mosque and madrassa were demolished due to their illegal construction on government-owned land and their lack of registration as religious structures.
“The drive was not targeted towards any particular community. It began peacefully but a mob attacked officials soon after, leading to violence,” Ms Singh said, adding that authorities had given the mosque’s administration prior notice about its demolition.
Local residents have refuted these claims, asserting that the mosque was demolished prior to the court reaching a final decision in the case.
Shakeel Ahmad, a local councillor, said that when the administration arrived to demolish the structures, they requested them to stop the action until the next court hearing. However, their request was shunned. Ahmad believes that if the administration had waited for the court’s final decision, there would have been no resistance from their side.
Tensions over demolitions of mosques have risen in the past few months.
Muslim groups say they feel unfairly singled out under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government and accuse it of religious polarization leading up to the general elections scheduled in two months. However, the government denies these allegations.
On Friday, tensions continued in Haldwani as authorities imposed a complete shutdown and snapped the internet services.
Banbhoolpura Schools will remain shut for the next few days and thousands of police personnel have been deployed to observe the situation.
The violence erupted shortly after Uttarakhand enacted the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a new common law for all residents, irrespective of religion, sex, gender, and sexual orientation.
Different religious groups in India adhere to their own personal laws which govern various aspects such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance.
Uttarakhand Muslims have nullified the UCC, calling it an interference with their Islamic practices.