The Dehradun railway station witnessed violent scenes Thursday night as members of two communities clashed, leading to stone pelting and vandalism of trains.
The violence was the fallout of an interfaith relationship between a young man and a woman from Badaun, officials said. According to officials, members of both communities gathered at the railway station after learning that the couple were present there. The confrontation soon escalated, with objects being hurled and damage caused to parked trains.
The local police arrived at the scene as soon as they were informed. In light of the unrest, a heavy police presence was deployed in and around the railway station, and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh arrived at the location to manage the situation. The police teams conducted foot patrols across the railway station and surrounding areas, including nearby Rita Mandi, to restore peace.
“As per what we know so far, a minor girl from Badaun came to Dehradun to meet some person here. There is already a missing person’s report registered in Badaun. The police also informed the GRP (government railway police) based on the girl’s location and provided her details… Meanwhile, the matter escalated somehow and both Hindu and Muslim organisations confronted each other. There was a ruckus and some stone pelting. The situation is under control and we have deployed heavy police force in the area,” said Dehradun SSP Singh.
The SSP engaged with the agitated crowd and urged them to return home. Meanwhile, senior police officials confirmed that they will register cases against those involved and launch a thorough investigation. The police are also reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits responsible for the violence.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com.
