Haldwani violence: HC grants bail to 51 accused

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand high court (HC) on Wednesday granted bail to 51 accused in the case related to the violence which took place in Feb in the Banphoolpura area of Haldwani. Tension had erupted in the area over an anti-encroachment drive, resulting in the deaths of at least five people and injuries to several others.
A division bench of justices Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Pankaj Purohit had reserved its verdict after the hearing concluded on Aug 24.
The petitioners challenged a lower court's decision to extend their remand and deny bail, arguing that the police failed to submit a chargesheet within the mandatory 90-day period and sufficient justification was not provided for the remand extension.
Among the 51 accused, six were women, and most of them were aged between 20 and 30.
Following the clashes, police filed three FIRs on Feb 8 and 9 against unidentified individuals for rioting and arson under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, the Uttarakhand Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
Nainital district magistrate Vandana Singh had imposed a curfew and suspended internet services, which were lifted on Feb 20, 12 days after the riots.