Indefinite curfew was imposed in Meerut on June 17 after a minor argument over the parking of a tractor – which had come to pick up a group of people returning from Orissa – spiralled out of control and led to riots in many parts of the city. Now, the incident is being linked to June 15 demolition of a Municipal Corporation slaughterhouse that has been leased to the family of BSP MLA Haji Yakub for years. The trouble began at around 4:30 pm on June 16 when 17 persons, belonging to Singhavali village near Meerut were returning after attending a religious congregation of Muslims in Orissa. A large group of villagers arrived in a tractor to receive them at the Meerut railway station, parking it in front of a few shops nearby. A small argument between the shopkeepers and the driver turned into a scuffle and two constables allegedly intervened and beat up a few members of the minority community, five of whom were later rushed to the district hospital and discharged later. By evening, however, the incident took on communal overtones and mobs began to gather at the hospital upon hearing that Muslims had been beaten up by Hindu shopkeepers and policemen. By 10 pm, the situation went out of hand when a group torched two police vehicles on Bhumiya Chowk. It did not take too long for the clash to spread to other parts of Meerut – at 14 points in four police station areas (Brahmpuri, Lisadi Gate, Kotwali and Delhi Gate) rioting took place between 10.30 pm and 2.00 am. With the situation worsening, District Magistrate Kamini Chauhan ordered curfew in the four affected police station areas.
INDEFINITE CURFEW IMPOSED IN MEERUT
Indefinite curfew was imposed in Meerut on June 17 after a minor argument over the parking of a tractor – which had come to pick up a group of people returning from Orissa – spiralled out of control and led to riots in many parts of the city.
