Haldwani violence: Uttarakhand Police arrests son of ‘mastermind’ from Delhi

PTI

Dehradun, February 29

The Uttarakhand Police on Thursday arrested Abdul Moid, son of Abdul Malik, the alleged mastermind in the Haldwani violence, officials said.

The arrest of Moid, who is among the key accused in the case, takes the total arrests in connection with the February 8 incidents of stone pelting and arson in Banbhoolpura area of the town to 84, Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena said.

His father Abdul Malik owned the “illegal” madrassa whose demolition sparked violence in the town prompting authorities to impose a curfew that was lifted entirely after 12 days of gradual relaxation, the SSP said.

Malik was arrested on February 24, 16 days after the Banbhoolpura violence which left six persons dead and over 100 injured, including police personnel and journalists.

A look out notice was issued earlier against the father-son duo and a massive manhunt launched to nab them. Their properties in the town were also attached earlier.

Malik had vehemently opposed the administration’s action and his wife Safia had gone to the court challenging the MC notice for its demolition, according to police.

However, the court did not grant them immediate relief and the structure was demolished, triggering incidents of stone-pelting and arson in the Muslim-dominated Banbhoolpura area, they said.

Apart from the three FIRs lodged initially, a fresh case was registered by the police against six persons, including Malik and his wife Safia, charging them with criminal conspiracy and fraudulently using a dead man’s name for illegal plotting, construction and transfer of land, the SSP had said earlier. 

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