Uttarkashi communal tensions: Sec 144 in place, no mahapanchayat held in Purola; HC directs state to maintain order

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal also directed all concerned parties to refrain from social media debates on the issue.

Earlier, the APCR had approached the Supreme Court seeking to stop the mahapanchayat, but the top court asked the petitioner on Wednesday to move the high court.

With section 144 in place, all shops in Purola and nearby markets were shut on Thursday.

Several vehicles of people attempting to attend the mahapanchayat, called by groups including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, were stopped by police at Naugaon — around 20 km from Purola. Many sat on the road there and raised slogans of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and ‘Hindu Ekta’.

Around 70-80 people moving from Barkot towards Purola were stopped at Naugaon around 9.30 am, Barkot Circle Officer Surendra Singh Bhandari said.

Some members of the Bajrang Dal went to Purola stadium to register their symbolic protest. Purola SDM Devanand Sharma said they had gone there in groups of four or less, and thus, were not in breach of prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, Thursday also marked the 19th day that shops owned by Muslim merchants in Purola market have been shut.

Communal tension heightened in Purola and some other towns of Uttarkashi district after two men, one of them from the minority community, allegedly tried to abduct a girl on May 26.

Since then, protest rallies have been taken out by Hindu right-wing groups, the local ‘vyapar mandal’ (trade union) and some local residents demanding the verification of all “outsiders” coming to the state. The protesters soon began accusing people from the minority community of being involved in illegal activities and branded the May 26 incident an instance of ‘love jihad’.

Just a couple of days after the incident, Muslim shop owners shut down their shops and several of them left town, after posters came up in the market warning them of consequences if they did not close their businesses.

According to police, Ubaid Khan (24) and Jitendra Saini (23) were arrested for the May 26 incident, and were booked under sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366A (procuration of minor girl) of the IPC as well as under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. They are currently in judicial custody. The minor girl was reunited with her family.

Amid concerns over law and order ahead of the mahapanchayat scheduled to be held on Thursday, Purola SDM Devanand Sharma on Wednesday imposed prohibitory orders in the area until June 19. For any religious, political, or cultural events during this time, permission must be taken from the administration or the police.

“In view of some criminal incidents that have taken place in the past days in Purola, and public anger arising out of it, there is a possibility that some persons may adversely affect law and order. It has been brought to notice that some organisations and individuals may try to disturb peace and law and order by organising demonstrations or rallies within the area in response to past incidents,” read the order.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said in a statement that no one would be allowed to take law into their own hands.

“If anyone tries to vitiate the atmosphere, the law will take its course. In the incidents that have happened so far, the administration has acted properly. If someone is guilty, the law will work against him. Do not take law into your hands,” he said.

Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar appealed to all sides to help maintain law and order and said that no one would be allowed to disrupt the peace. He said that force has been deployed and police are on full alert to ensure that no one breaks the law.

Additional Director General Law and Order V Murugesan said that the district administration was continuously holding meetings. “If there is any slogan against any community or any hate speech, there will be an immediate FIR and action will be taken,” he said.