Over 700 Booked After Communal Tension In Haldwani Locality

Haldwani: The police have booked over 700 unnamed people after a clash between two groups in a Haldwani locality over some namazis performing wazu at a public space, an official said on Wednesday.
Tension broke out between the two communities in Bhotia Parav area of Haldwani in this district on Monday evening when some people belonging to Hindu organisations objected to Muslim religious practices being held in the Awas Vikas colony.
Although namaz was being offered in the house of Advocate Zafar Siddique, objections were raised over an open public plot nearby being used for the ritual 'wazu' before offering namaz.
Muslims perform azu' or ritual ablution before offering 'namaz'. Witnesses claimed that tension escalated when some members of a Hindu outfit gathered in the area and allegedly slapped Imam Shahid Hussain who was presiding over the collective namaz offering ceremony.
Hussain filed an FIR with the police.
Later, Siddique, the owner of the house where namaz was being offered, also filed an FIR.
SHO Bhotia Parav Harendra Chaudhary reached the spot with the police force and sealed the advocate's property on finding that it was an illegal construction, officials said, adding the clashing sides were brought to the police station. -- PTI