Haridwar (Uttarakhand): Amid the raising of slogans by the protesting people, the Haridwar administration demolished Chandan Peer Baba Mazar (tomb) located at Arya Nagar Chowk in the city on Saturday. A large contingent of police was deployed at the spot as a precautionary measure. The protesters also had a heated argument with the policemen deployed at the spot. The protest went on for some time. Policemen pacified the agitators to vacate the area saying that they (cops) were executing the court's order.
People staged a dharna protesting the action of the administration. Protesters were on the boil. The atmosphere at the site was tense. A bulldozer was engaged in demolition work at Chandan Peer Baba Mazar (tomb) located at Arya Nagar Chowk in the Jwalapur Kotwali area of Haridwar city.
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Haridwar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Puran Singh Rana, who was overseeing the demolition drive said, "We were executing Supreme Court and High Court orders. We are supposed to remove any religious structure belonging to either Hindu or Muslim, which is causing hindrance to the movement of people. The religious place blocking the passage of people will be removed. Previously, a religious place belonging to Hindus was removed as part of the anti-encroachment drive."
As per the directive of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the religious structures on forest or government land are being demolished in the state. The anti-encroachment drive has been going on continuously in the state. As a part of the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Uttarakhand against religious structures or places, at least 20 illegal constructions were removed in Haridwar.
