The alleged molestation of a young woman by some policemen deployed at the Ardh Kumbh Mela in Hardwar led to clashes in the holy city all through last night and today morning, leaving one person dead and more than 100 injured. Hardwar has been put under indefinite curfew, while the Mela police has been completely withdrawn from Kumbh duties.Many people were injured when police first lathicharged and later opened fire at mobs which clashed with cops at several places in the city. While 22-year-old Kali died in the police firing, three others who sustained bullet wounds are said to be in a critical condition.Uttaranchal Home Secretary S.K. Dass said the protesters were mostly local businessmen.While there were some clashes last night too, the situation worsened early Wednesday morning when a large number of locals gathered and started protesting against the ‘‘molestation’’ and the ‘‘brutal’’ lathicharge that followed.A police post at Har-Ki-Pauri was partially damaged, while at least a dozen vehicles were torched. The police tried to control the mob, resulting in pitched battles. Uttaranchal DGP P D Raturi admitted the situation was tense. Chief Minister N D Tiwari has ordered a judicial probe by a sitting HC judge to be completed within a month. The state will bear the medical expenses of all victims of the violence.
