Haldwani: The death toll in the Haldwani violence that took place in Banbhoolpura town following the demolition of an illegal structure as part of an anti-encroachment drive on Thursday has risen to six, after one more person died on Tuesday, while two others are undergoing treatment at Sushila Tiwari Hospital and their condition is said to be critical.
The man, identified as Mohammad Israr (50), a resident of Gafoor Basti in the Banbhoolpura police station area, had suffered a gunshot injury to the head and had been in a coma since Thursday. The police shifted the body for post-mortem. The police said that further action would be taken after the post-mortem report.
The violence erupted on Thursday after the administration conducted an anti-encroachment drive in Banbhoolpura. After stone-pelting incidents and a mob surrounding the local police station, the administration issued a shoot-at-sight order. More than 300 people were injured in the violence.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government on Monday reshuffled the officials across the state following the violence. The government appointed IAS officer Vishal Mishra as the Municipal Corporation Commissioner in Haldwani, who was earlier the Chief Development Officer in Udham Singh Nagar.
Pankaj Upadhyay, who was the Municipal Corporation Commissioner in Haldwani, was appointed as the additional district magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar. A week before the violence when Upadhyay had gone with his team to seal the land, Abdul Malik, the mastermind of the violence, was entangled with him on the allegation of illegal occupation. Sources said that the people were upset with Upadhyay, hence, to pacify the public, he was transferred.
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