Dehradun: Communal tension has persisted for three days in Bairagiwala village on the outskirts of Dehradun following the killing of a BJP Yuva Morcha functionary over a dispute related to irrigation water from a public tubewell.
According to villagers, some Muslim families have remained indoors and locked their homes, while others temporarily moved to relatives' houses in nearby areas amid fears triggered by the violence. To maintain peace, residents kept the village mosque closed from Saturday and reopened it on Tuesday.
Mohammad Saed (53), a member of the mosque committee, stated, "Some worshippers went to the mosque on Monday, and it was formally reopened on Tuesday. After videos of the violence circulated, many people became frightened and chose to stay away. We are appealing to everyone to return to normal life. Several families that had left the village since Saturday have now come back."
Villagers said Bairagiwala, which has around 2,900 voters, had no history of communal discord. Saed added, "Our forefathers lived here, and none of us has ever witnessed a Hindu-Muslim conflict in the village. The unrest and protests on Saturday were largely caused by outsiders. Villagers were not directly involved, as we have always lived together peacefully. In fact, some Hindu residents looked after the livestock of Muslim families who had temporarily left."
A resident, requesting anonymity, described the atmosphere as one of "unnatural quiet." They said, "There is a visible police presence throughout the village. People are largely staying indoors and avoiding unnecessary interactions to prevent any confrontation."
Village pradhan Vicky Kashyap said normalcy was gradually being restored. "Shops in the market have started reopening, and people have begun moving around again. Life is returning to routine. Those who have not done anything wrong should not be worried or leave their homes. The police are investigating the matter," he said.
Heavy police deployment remains in place. Pradeep Rawat, SHO of Sahaspur police station, said, "We are continuously monitoring the situation, and police patrolling is underway. The situation is peaceful and gradually returning to normal."
The tension followed the killing of Vinod Kumar Kashyap (48), social media co-incharge of the BJP Yuva Morcha's OBC wing in Dehradun district. Police said he died after being struck on the head with a hammer during a clash on Saturday.
According to police, the altercation began when Vinod's younger brother, Ashok Kumar, a member of a right-wing organisation, went to irrigate his field using water from a public borewell. The family of the prime accused, Imtiaz, whose field adjoins Kumar's, allegedly objected to the flow of water, leading to an argument that escalated into violence. Police said Vinod intervened during the dispute and was allegedly attacked with a hammer. His death triggered protests by local residents and right-wing groups, leading to heightened tensions in the area.
