The rioting in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani, which saw the loss of seven lives and injuries to over 150, erupted following the demolition of a mosque and madrasa in the Banbhulpura area on February 8, 2024
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – In a shocking revelation, six women who were imprisoned in connection with the February 2024 Uttarakhand’s Haldwani violence case and recently released on bail, have accused prison authorities of forcing them to perform unpaid manual labour during their seven-month incarceration. The women allege that they were compelled to clean toilets, mop floors, and undertake other tasks typically outside their prison duties.
According to the detainees, forced labour violated their fundamental rights under Article 23 of the Constitution, which prohibits forced labour in any form. The prison laws also explicitly forbid such practices, but the women insist that they were subjected to harsh and degrading conditions during their time in jail.
The Haldwani violence, which saw the loss of seven lives and injuries to over 150, erupted following the demolition of a mosque and madrasa in the Banbhulpura area on February 8, 2024. While police claimed the structures were illegally built, the demolition sparked violent protests, which led to arrests, including those of the six women. The accused are now facing severe charges, including violations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), though many argue they were wrongfully implicated.
The women, who come from low-income backgrounds, described their imprisonment as a nightmare. One of them, Reshma, who suffers from diabetes and severe kidney infections, said she was forced to clean toilets and perform other tasks despite her fragile health. “I was not given proper medication. They only gave me painkillers for my ulcers, and when I asked to be exempted from cleaning due to my health condition, I was beaten up,” she claimed.
Salma, another woman, recalled being taken into police custody after being shown a photograph of her in the crowd during the protests. She said, “I was washing clothes when the police came for me. They took me to the station, showed me a photo, and after I confirmed it was me, I was arrested.” Despite her protests, Salma was held for several months without trial. “The worst part was not the cell itself, but the uncertainty, the feeling of being abandoned,” she said.
The women reported that while they had access to limited religious freedoms, such as fasting and praying during Ramadan, the treatment they received was degrading. “We were given only two meals a day, and we saved some of it for iftar (breaking of the fast) and sehri (pre-dawn meal). There was no proper arrangement for iftar, and the food was terrible,” said one detainee.
The women also said that they faced threats from prison staff, with one victim alleging that she was warned of beatings if she spoke to relatives for too long during their visits. “It was like living in constant fear. Every day felt like a year,” said another woman.
The conditions inside Haldwani jail were described as appalling, with the women stating that the mattresses provided were thin and uncomfortable, and the blankets were dirty and stank. “It felt like they were treating us less than human,” said Shahnaz, a widow who works as a maid to support her family. She added that the forced labour started early in the morning and continued for hours, with little respite.
The plight of these women is compounded by their socio-economic backgrounds. Many of them come from families with no male breadwinner or live in extreme poverty. For instance, Soni, a mother of three, was separated from her nine-month-old daughter when she was sent to jail. “I couldn’t breastfeed my baby. It broke my heart to be away from her,” she said tearfully. The hardship caused by their prolonged detention also affected their families. Soni’s children missed out on their education during her time in jail, and now she faces the added burden of not having the financial means to re-enroll them in school.
The women all credited the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, a prominent Muslim religious and social organisation, with assisting them in their legal battles. Their gratitude is clear, as they acknowledge the group’s role in securing their bail and fighting for justice. “We would not have been able to get out of jail without their help. They gave us a voice when no one else would,” said one woman.
Meanwhile, the political and religious context of the Haldwani violence remains contentious. The Banbhulpura mosque and madrasa were demolished by the Haldwani Municipal Corporation on January 30, 2024, which led to widespread protests. The government justified the demolition by claiming that the structures were built on Nazul land, a designation for government property, but local Muslim leaders dispute this claim.
Advocate Mohammad Yusuf, the vice president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind in Uttarakhand, questioned the selective targeting of Muslim religious structures. “Why were these mosques and madrasas demolished when other religious buildings on Nazul land were left untouched?” he asked. Yusuf, who has been a vocal critic of the government’s actions, further questioned the legal justifications used to demolish the mosque and madrasa, arguing that the land in question was not Nazul land but “Crown land” given to Muslims by the British government in 1937.
The tensions surrounding the demolition have fuelled resentment among the local Muslim community, especially as the matter remains under litigation in the high court. “If the land was Nazul land, it could not be transferred between individuals. The government’s actions are unjust,” said Safia Malik, the wife of Abdul Malik, a prominent businessman and key figure in the protest movement.
Her husband, who is currently imprisoned along with their son, has been accused of masterminding the violence following the demolition of the mosque. Safia strongly denied these charges, asserting that her husband was in Delhi and Noida during the period of the violence.
The controversy surrounding the demolition and the resulting violence underscores the wider concerns about religious intolerance and the treatment of Muslims in India. Critics argue that the administration’s actions reflect a broader pattern of marginalising Muslim communities in the country, particularly through the targeting of religious properties.
Despite the traumatic experiences they endured, the women released from Haldwani jail have expressed their determination to fight for justice and hold the authorities accountable. “We were treated like criminals, but we are innocent,” said Salma. “We just want justice.”
The case of Haldwani continues to raise important questions about the treatment of Muslims in India, the role of religious discrimination, and the need for reforms in the prison system to ensure the protection of human rights. As the legal battles continue, it remains to be seen how the authorities respond to these allegations and whether the victims will see justice served.
