Uttarakhand Police Investigates Banning Sign Boards in Kedar Valley
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 9: After reports emerged of sign boards banning entry of certain communities in Kedar Valley, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand Director General of Police Abhinav Kumar has ordered an investigation. The Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police is leading the probe.
Speaking about the issue, DGP Abhinav Kumar said, “Reports have emerged that there are demographic changes in hilly areas, migrants from other states are trying to settle here and minor girls are being trapped and forced to move with them. There are reports that in some villages boards have been placed to ban entry of people belonging to certain communities. We spoke to local Sarpanches that boards against a particular community are not correct, although they can raise their concerns.”
He also mentioned the large influx of tourists due to pilgrimage centers in Uttarakhand. “Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police has been ordered to investigate the matter of putting up sign boards related to banning and imposing penalties on the entry of outsiders in some villages of Kedar Valley in Rudraprayag district. A CEO-level officer is conducting a probe. The sentiments of the local people would be taken care of,” he added.
To strengthen law and order, the DGP has instructed superintendents of police in all districts to patrol until 1 am. He noted that while some incidents have occurred, there is an attempt to create a false narrative about the state’s law and order situation. In recent days, outsiders have tried to disrupt law and order.
Notably, such boards were put up in other villages including Mainkhanda of Kedar Valley. However, after police intervention, the term ‘non-Hindu’ was removed from the boards on Sunday. Now, the boards ban the entry and business of outsiders and hawkers in the village.
Doubts Revealed
Uttarakhand -: Uttarakhand is a state in northern India, known for its beautiful mountains and pilgrimage sites.
Director General of Police -: The Director General of Police (DGP) is the highest-ranking police officer in a state, responsible for overseeing all police activities.
Abhinav Kumar -: Abhinav Kumar is the name of the current Director General of Police in Uttarakhand.
Kedar Valley -: Kedar Valley is a region in Uttarakhand, famous for the Kedarnath Temple, a major Hindu pilgrimage site.
Rudraprayag district -: Rudraprayag is a district in Uttarakhand, where Kedar Valley is located.
Superintendent of Police -: The Superintendent of Police (SP) is a senior police officer in charge of maintaining law and order in a district.
demographic changes -: Demographic changes refer to changes in the population, like the number of people, their age, or where they come from.
influx of tourists -: An influx of tourists means a large number of people visiting a place, often for sightseeing or pilgrimage.
local sentiments -: Local sentiments are the feelings and opinions of the people who live in a particular area.
law enforcement -: Law enforcement means making sure that people follow the laws and rules.
hawkers -: Hawkers are people who sell goods on the streets or in public places.