Five women arrested in connection with Haldwani violence

Haldwani, March 1

Uttarakhand Police on Friday arrested five women in connection with the recent Haldwani violence in the town’s Banbhoolpura area over the demolition of an illegal madrassa, officials said.

This takes the total arrests in connection with the February 8 incidents of stone-pelting, arson and firing in Banbhoolpura to 89, Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Narayan Meena said.

The five women arrested on Friday are Shahnaz, Soni, Shamsheer, Salma and Reshma, the SSP said, adding that they all are residents of the Banbhoolpura area.

Violence in Haldwani had left six persons dead and more than a 100, including police personnel and journalists, injured, the police had said earlier.

The rioters had indulged in stone pelting and arson. They had set a number of vehicles and the Banbhoolpura Police Station on fire.

Haldwani violence ‘mastermind’ Abdul Malik was arrested on February 24 and his son Abdul Moid five days later.