Dehradun, August 23
A BJP leader was shot dead allegedly by a BSP activist inside a police station last night, sparking violence. A policeman was stoned to death by a mob today which torched the Kaladhungi police station (in Nainital) as well as dozens of vehicles parked there.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has ordered a magisterial inquiry and suspended all police personnel posted at the station.
Balwant Singh Kaniyal, BJP’s block president of Kotabagh in Nainital, had enmity with Neeraj Tiwari, a local BSP leader. On Saturday evening they clashed at a restaurant and reached the Kaladhungi police station to lodge a complaint against each other.
They clashed again inside the police station. Tiwari took out his pistol and shot Kaniyal point blank. Kaniyal was rushed to a base hospital where he was declared ‘brought dead’. Tiwari was
arrested.
Irate supporters of Kaniyal took his body to the Kotwali police station in Haldwani this morning and blocked the highway for more than four hours, demanding the arrest of the policemen posted at Kaladhungi following which the CM suspended the police personnel on duty.
As news spread about the murder of Kaniyal, who was also president of the association of block presidents in the state, thousands of his supporters gathered at Kotabagh. Led by the sister of the deceased, they marched to the Kaladhungi police station.
The angry mob set the police station and a dozen vehicles, including those of senior police officials and the tehsildar, on fire. Most police personnel ran away, but Head Constable Puran Singh was caught by the mob which stoned him to death. His body was than thrown in the blazing fire.
On the 30-km stretch from Haldwani to Kaldhungi, irate supporters of Kaniyal clashed with the police at several places and did not allow fire tenders to proceed towards the Kaladhungi police station at Chakluva village.
The police had to resort to a lathi charge. It also opened fire. Pushkar Singh and Mahender Saini, residents of Chakluva, were injured and admitted to a hospital in Haldwani. A woman was also hurt.
At least six policemen were injured in the violence. Three of them were admitted to a Ramnagar hospital while the other three seriously injured were taken to Haldwani. Senior police ande civil officials are camping in the area.
Ashok Kumar, IG, Kumoan, said the situation was tense but under control. A large number of police and provincial armed constabulary (PAC) personnel had been deployed. He said both Kaniyal and Tiwari had a police record.
