In Uttarakhand’s Purola town, tight security arrangements have been put in place for the scheduled mahapanchayat amidst communal tensions. The district administration has also disallowed the gathering of four or more people in a specified area due to the ongoing unrest. The attempt to allegedly abduct a minor girl in Purola last month has led to a rise in communal tensions in the town. The Mahapanchayat was called for by the Purola Pradhan Sangathan and received support from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, among others. Security forces have been deployed in the town, and the police are keeping a close watch on the area and getting support from the local people. Uttarakhand Police staged a flag march in Purola to maintain peace in the town.
The situation escalated after two men were caught in an attempt to elope with a minor girl from Purola last month. On Monday, District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela and Superintendant of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi appealed to both communities to maintain peace and not to be misled by anyone.
On June 9, Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami promised to investigate the cases of love jihad, and State DGP Ashok Kumar assured that strict action would be taken against those taking the law into their hands.
It remains to be seen how the situation develops, but it is crucial for the administration to take necessary measures to ensure the safety of the people and prevent the situation from escalating further.