A group of men gathered close to the market, where the accused held an office, and vandalized minority-owned stores and restaurants in Nainital.
Following bouts of stone-pelting and vandalism the night before, when a 65-year-old man was detained for allegedly raping a kid, Nainital remained tense on Thursday.
Nainital Communal Clash: The mother of a 12-year-old girl took her to the police station on Wednesday night and reported that she had been raped on April 12. After being charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, Usman was taken into custody.
Following this, on Wednesday at around 9.30 p.m., a group of men gathered close to the market, where the accused had an office, and vandalized minority-owned stores and restaurants. Men were seen hitting employees at these stores in a video. According to authorities, the throng also demonstrated in front of a mosque.
According to authorities, on April 12, the offender reportedly used money to entice the victim, who was then taken to his car and assaulted.
A group of individuals sent a statement to the government on Thursday, asking for tight regulations that limit the admission of “outsiders” and punishment against the offenders, according to Nainital SSP Prahlad Meena.
Meena stated that since police did not receive a report, no formal complaint has been filed in relation to vandalism and stone-pelting. He stated, “We are attempting to identify the locals who engaged in disruptions.”
Additionally, he said that the situation was under police control and had not descended into a “riot-like situation.”
The public’s reaction was emotionally intense. If we hadn’t dealt with it, there would have been a riot. Today, we dispersed our soldiers around the district,” he stated.
There was no enforcement of the Uttarakhand Public (Government) and Private Property Damage Recovery (Ordinance) Law, 2024, which penalizes rioters and recovers costs incurred as a result of a riot.
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A “comprehensive verification drive of all outsiders residing in Nainital, especially those from a particular community working as tenants, laborers, or in temporary businesses, to identify suspicious elements in time” was the demand made in a memo that locals submitted to Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat.
“An investigation into high-value property purchases by individuals from a particular community in Nainital’s commercial areas, which may threaten local economic balance, (and) the formation of a special monitoring committee comprising administration, police, and local representatives to track regional activity and report to authorities” were among the demands.
Additionally, it called for Nainital to be designated as a “sensitive cultural zone” in order to preserve its cultural legacy and offer particular legislative protections, as well as the prioritization of job possibilities for local children in commercial areas in order to preserve local identity.
Authorities launch anti-encroachment drive in response to tensions following the Nainital communal clash
District Magistrate Vandana has deployed magistrates to the market area and the mosque premises, according to district administration officials. She has also directed the District Development Authority to continue the anti-encroachment effort that was previously carried out in Nainital.
She mandated that demolition proceedings be started right away and that all outstanding hearings pertaining to unlawful structures be finished within 15 days.
On Thursday, a marking campaign against encroachment was conducted at many points within the boundaries of Nainital city. The Municipal Council and the Development Authority issued 100 and 50 challans (notices/fines) respectively, mostly for infractions including building without approved building plans and encroaching on public areas like roads and sewers.
