Mathura violence: Police saw the arms build up and yet failed

New Delhi, June 4: There are several instances to show that the violence at Mathura was a result of complete failure on part of the administration. Specific intelligence inputs were there to suggest that the violence would be extreme.

The Swadheen Bharat Subhash Sena had since the past couple of months anticipated action against them had begun piling up the weapons.

Among the many plans that the Sena had drawn up included even sacrificing the lives of their own sect members. They were ready to die and in such circumstances the situation becomes even more dangerous, a local

officer informed OneIndia over phone.

On Thursday several members perched themselves atop a tree and fired at the police and in the violence two senior officers died.

Boiling since an year:

The police have been attempting to get the land evacuated. The locals had been complaining of nuisance and complained on several occasions. It was only once the police were issued a contempt notice in April that they started going about their job.

First a magistrate visited the spot. However one of the sect members told him to sit down on the ground. He was asked several questions including his nationality. The magistrate fearing for his life left the spot. The police then decided to conduct a reconnaissance of the area.

It was difficult for the police to enter the area. They took along with some journalists and in plain clothes surveyed the entire area. When they visited the spot they had found heaps of arms and ammunition which had been stocked up by the sect members.

After that visit, the police drew up a plan. They decided that by June 3 they would have the entire place evacuated. If one were to look at the manner in which the situation was handled last Thursday it did not appear as though the police were fully prepared. They could have used the support of the locals better, some officials feel.

Several locals also felt that the government was too slow to act. There have been complaints being made for long, but the reaction by the government was pathetic they say.

They allowed the build up despite knowing that the sect members were piling up the arms. Why were they allowed to build up so strongly is one question that none have answers to.

OneIndia News