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The city of Dehradun in Uttarakhand witnessed a disturbing outbreak of communal tension on Thursday, stemming from a confrontation involving an alleged interfaith couple. The incident, which unfolded at the Dehradun railway station, involved members of two communities engaging in violent clashes, highlighting the precariousness of religious harmony in the region. The incident began when a 16-year-old girl from Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, and a man from the Selaqui area of Dehradun were found roaming at the railway station by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel. Suspecting a potential issue, the RPF took the couple to their office for questioning. Upon contacting the girl's family, the RPF discovered she had left home without informing anyone, prompting her family to file a missing person's report in Badaun. The situation escalated rapidly when members of both communities gathered at the railway station, fueled by suspicions and rumors surrounding the couple's interfaith relationship. The heated arguments soon turned violent, resulting in stone-pelting and vandalism of parked vehicles outside the railway station. In response to the escalating violence, the police swiftly intervened to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. The Uttarakhand Police have taken decisive action, registering an FIR against over 100 individuals involved in the violence, including 14 named suspects. Among those accused are prominent figures from right-wing organizations, including Vikas Verma, Rohit Verma, and Siddhant Badoni from Bajrang Dal, and Aasif Qureshi, Shoaib, and Nawaz Qureshi from the Azad Samaj Party. The FIR was registered under various sections of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to rioting, obstructing public servants, disobedience to orders, and causing damage to property. The police are currently conducting a thorough investigation, examining CCTV footage to identify additional suspects not named in the FIR. Meanwhile, the girl has been safely returned to her parents. The incident has triggered a wave of condemnation from various quarters, with concerns being raised about the rise of religious intolerance and the need to address underlying social issues that contribute to such tensions. The aftermath of the Dehradun incident underscores the urgent need for promoting communal harmony and fostering a climate of tolerance and respect for diverse identities in the region. It is imperative for law enforcement agencies and community leaders to work collaboratively to prevent such incidents from recurring and to address the underlying causes of religious tensions in a proactive and constructive manner. The future of peaceful coexistence in Dehradun and other parts of the country hinges on a commitment to dialogue, empathy, and the rule of law.
Source: Communal tension erupts in Dehradun over interfaith ‘couple’