Saturday, 28 SEPTEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Dehradun district magistrate Savin Bansal appealed to the people of Dehradun city to maintain peace and harmony amid the communal tension witnessed on Thursday and Friday. The authorities have been trying to maintain law and order in the city after members of the majority second largest majority communities had a violent altercation at the Dehradun railway station on Thursday night. This led to stone pelting and some rioters damaging parked parked vehicles and railway property. The unrest began when a girl aged 16 years, belonging to a ‘minority’ community from Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, was found at the station with her Hindu friend from the same district. The Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) had reportedly detained the pair after becoming suspicious of their presence at the station. Upon questioning, both provided vague responses, prompting the RPF to hold them for further investigation. It was soon discovered that the girl had left her home a day earlier without informing her family, leading her family members to file a missing person’s report at Badaun police station, the SSP said. He informed that the girl being found, along with the fact that the male she was with belonged to a different community, quickly fuelled tensions. The members of the two communities gathered at the railway station and clashes ensued, resulting in stone pelting and damage to vehicles in the vicinity. The SSP and additional forces reached the site to prevent escalation. Singh stated that certain individuals were attempting to exploit the situation to incite communal violence. In response, a case was registered under serious charges against such offenders. Authorities are currently reviewing CCTV footage and other evidence to identify those responsible for the violence and vandalism. He said that despite the initial flare-up, police intervention successfully brought the situation under control. Investigations into both the minor’s case and the communal violence are ongoing. The SSP said that patrolling has been intensified in the area to restore peace and action will be taken against the offenders accordingly. Besides this, the Dehradun district magistrate Savin Bansal also appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony. He said, “Talks are being held from both sides. The situation is under control. The matter has been resolved peacefully. I appeal to everyone to please maintain peace. People in Dehradun live together in harmony which is also our identity. Everybody’s cooperation is expected in maintaining this identity and the peace in the community.”
