Communal tension in haridwar over murder, shops torched

Shops run by people of a minority community were vandalised by an alleged right-wing group in the Kankhal area of Haridwar on Friday evening, _The Times of India_ has reported. This happened

a day after tension erupted in Rishikesh’s Raiwala area when the body of a 34-year-old man was found on the railway tracks. Krishna Kumar VK, SSP of Haridwar, was quoted by the newspaper as

saying: “Some miscreants vandalised a few shops but the situation is under control. We have registered a case and strict action will be taken against mischief-makers.” The attackers also

threatened shop owners to leave the area. Section 144 has been imposed in the city and a warning issued for violators. “We urge the people not to get swayed by rumours,” Dehradun

superintendent of police, rural, Sarita Dobhal said, reported the _Hindustan Times, _saying it was found that activists of Hindu Jagran Manch, an offshoot of the RSS, had a row with some

shopkeepers at Shanti Bazaar. Heavy deployment of the police has been done in the sensitive areas of Raiwala, Rishikesh, Chiddarwala, Gumaniwala and Shyampur. According to media reports,

Lakshman Singh Kalura, a resident of Gauhrimafi and father of three, was found dead at the railway track in Raiwala on the night of October 3. He was said to be having an affair with the

daughter of a poultry farm owner, a man named Islam. The police said Islam had sacked Singh on hearing about the alleged affair but Singh continued to meet his daughter. Islam and his son

were booked for murder and arrested on Thursday.