Haldwani violence: U'khand HC grants default bail to 50 accused

The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday granted default bail to 50 accused in a case related to the Haldwani violence in February on the ground that no charge sheet was filed even after 90 days of the incident. On February 8 this year, violence erupted in Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani after the authorities demolished encroachments including a madrasa and a place meant for offering namaz within its precincts. Six people were killed and around 100 police personnel were injured in the violence.

A division bench of justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and justice Pankaj Purohit also dismissed the lower court's order granting more time to the police to file a charge sheet in the case. The high court had reserved its order in the case on August 24.

Senior advocate Nitya Rama Krishnan appeared before the high court for the accused. On February 8, protesting the demolition of madrasa, some people set fire to Banbhoolpura police station and dozens of vehicles belonging to the police and media personnel parked outside it. The incident led to the imposition of curfew in the area which remained in force for several days.