ReutersBurned vehicles after protests in Haldwani in northern Uttarakhand state
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 09:49
At least two people have been killed and at least a hundred injured in riots surrounding the planned demolition of a mosque in northern India.
Yesterday, thousands of Muslims in the town of Haldwani tried to stop government officials and police officers who had come to demolish the mosque and an adjacent religious school.
Damage after riots in Haldwani
According to the authorities, the buildings had to be demolished because they had been built on government land without the necessary permission. As the situation escalated, police fired live ammunition and used tear gas to disperse protesters. Rioters threw petrol bombs and stones at a police station. Vehicles were also set on fire.
With sharp shooting
According to a local driver, two protesters were killed in the violence and more than 150 police officers were injured. It has not been announced whether the protesters were killed by police fire. Government officials did say that police had been ordered to shoot at demonstrators who violated a curfew.
Tensions between Hindus and Muslims have increased since Prime Minister Modi’s Hindu nationalist government (BJP) came to power in 2014. The BJP has long been accused of systematically oppressing the country’s 200 million Muslims.
2024-02-09 08:49:50
#Deaths #India #protests #mosque #demolition
