Uttarakhand: Permission rejected for June 15 Mahapanchayat, Section 144 imposed

The district administration of Uttarkashi denied a request to host a Mahapanchayat in Purola, Uttarakhand, on June 15 on Wednesday. Racial unrest has been present in Purola since last month’s reported attempt to kidnap a little girl.

According to District Magistrate of Uttarkashi Abhishek Rohilla, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which forbids gatherings of four or more individuals in a designated area, has also been implemented by the district administration.

The Purola Pradhan Sangathan asked for the Mahapanchayat, and organisations like the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have backed it. After two guys were allegedly discovered trying to elope with a young Purola girl last month, the mood in Purola has been tense.

District Magistrate of Uttarkashi Abhishek Rohilla said, “The permission for the proposed mahapanchayat to be held on June 15 has been denied.”

Speaking exclusively to the sources, Uttarakhand, Director General of Police (DGP), Ashok Kumar said that no one will be given permission to break the law, over the proposed mahapanchayat.

An alleged attempt to kidnap a 14-year-old girl by two males, one of whom was from a minority community, in May of this year caused tensions in the state’s Uttarkashi town, according to police. On May 27, both men were subsequently taken into custody.

Following local unrest, District Magistrate Abhishek Rohilla and Police Superintendent Arpan Yaduvanshi came in Purola on Monday. The officials had made an appeal for peace and harmony after meeting with local public figures.

Locals from a specific neighbourhood informed officials at the conference that since certain posters with threats against them were put up in the Purola town, they have had to live in fear.
District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela urged both communities to uphold the peace and not fall prey to any deception. Additionally, he requested permission from the Board of Trade representatives to operate neighbourhood specialty stores.

Pushkar Singh Dhami, the chief minister of Uttarakhand, announced during a high-level meeting on June 9 that cases of love jihad that are coming up will be strictly investigated.

State DGP Ashok Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) V Murugesan and officers of the Intelligence Department were present in the meeting.
Murugesan said on Monday that strict action will be taken against those taking the law into their hands.

“Recently there have been incidents of elopement in Uttarkashi, Vikas Nagar and other areas. Local people are agitating. FIRs were registered. Police are doing their duty to establish peace. Whoever breaks the law, strict legal actions will be taken against them. An investigation is underway,” he said.