Haldwani Muslims Fear Death Toll Maybe Higher Than Official Figures: Fact-Finding Report

New Delhi: In the aftermath of the violence which erupted in Gafoor Basti, Haldwani on February 8 over the demolition of a mosque and madrasa built on government land, the police searched approximately 300 homes and the reported beatings, detentions and property damages and internet shutdown in the area aggravated the fear of the locals and they feel that the actual death toll may be higher than the official figures, a seven-member fact finding team wrote in a report on the Haldwani violence.

Officially, six people were reportedly killed in the clashes. The incident was an "outcome" of the "narrative" built by Uttarakhand Chief Minster Pushkar Dhami and radical right-wing citizen groups to create the northern state as "a Devbhoomi – the holy land for Hindus, which would have no place for other religious minorities," the citizen fact finding report by Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Karawan-e-Mohabbat and civil rights activist Zahid Qadri suggested. 

The report underlined that there was a steady rise in communal tempers in Uttarakhand over the last couple of years which also resulted in calls for economic and social boycotts of Muslims and eviction of Muslim tenants from houses and shops and demands and threats for them to leave the state.

Further, the members of the fact finding team highlighted that the Haldwani incident was also a result of Dhami's projection of "the destruction of 3000 mazaars" in the state as an "accomplishment" of his government and "being silent on unauthorised Hindu religious structures in forest and nazul lands" (a type of government land used for non-agricultural and public purpose such as for the construction of building, road, market and playground).

The fact finding team visited Haldwani on February 14 and prepared the interim report based on the conversations with civil society members, journalists, writers and lawyers and telephonic conversations with a few affected persons who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Eviction stayed by Supreme Court

Recently, several disputes arose regarding the legal ownership of tracts of urban land in Muslim majority areas in Haldwani. While Muslims who occupy these lands claim to be the rightful lessees, the state government suggests that these are government lands, as per the report.

Further, the Supreme Court ordered a stay on the proposed eviction related to the claims by the Indian Railways regarding settlements in Railway land occupied by Muslim residents in Haldwani.

The bulldozers were out while matter was sub-judice 

The dispute is related to around six acres of land in which a 20-year-old mosque and a madrasa are located.

The masjid and madrasa were sealed by the local municipality on February 4 after a group of ulemas met the municipality officials to plead against the eviction notices served on January 30 to vacate both the mosque and madrasa.

According to the report, the police asserted that the land belonged to the government while Sofiya Malik who claimed to be the lessee of the disputed land approached the Uttarakhand High Court due to these recent developments.

A single judge bench heard the matter on February 8 and the next hearing was on February 14. The local residents told the fact finding team that on February 8 evening the local officers arrived with bulldozers, municipal workers and significant police protection to undertake the demolition of the mosque and the madrasa "despite the matter being sub-judice".

Also read: How a 150-Year-Old Ploy to Incite Religious Violence Is Still Used in India

Community anger fuelled as women were beaten

According to the fact finding report, a group of women residents who stood before the bulldozers in a bid to prevent the demolitions were reportedly forcefully removed, dragged and beaten by male and female police personnel.

The police action angered the local community. Moreover, their plea that the Quran and other sacred properties in the mosque be respectfully handed over to the imam before the demolition was also brushed aside, as per the report.

As the demolition began the local Muslims pelted stones and municipal workers and journalist who were present on the spot were injured. However, there is video evidence that highlights that the police also resorted to stone throwing on the crowd, the fact finding team wrote.

Police vehicles set on fire by the locals; violence escalated 

The report also underlined that the violence rapidly escalated as crowds set vehicles near the police station on fire which resulted in parts of the police station being ablaze. While the police responded with firing, it is unclear when the firing started and when formal shoot-at-sight orders were given, the report mentioned.

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