On 8 February 2024, violence erupted in Banbhoolpura, a suburb of Haldwani, leading to the deaths of five Muslims, one of whom is a minor. By 15 February, the death toll rose to six. While the trigger for this violence was the demolition of a madrasa and an adjoining mosque, the present incident is part of the larger conflict in Haldwani’s largest minority suburb.

The ‘Malik ka bageecha’ madrasa and Mariyam mosque are located on Nazul land (non-agricultural common land), occupied by the Abdul Malik family for decades. The disputed plot of land had been leased out to one Mohammad Yaseen “for agricultural purposes” by the state government since 1937, according to according to a petition by Safia Malik, wife of the owner of madrasa, Abdul Malik. In 1994, Yaseen reportedly sold the plot to Akhtari Begum, who later gifted it to Abdul Hameed Khan, Malik’s father, “by virtue of an oral gift”, or Hiba. Malik’s father had initiated the process for transfer to a freehold in 2007.

On 30 January 2024, Abdul Mallik received a notice to demolish the structures. He approached the District Magistrate, requesting a stay until a decision was made on the plea seeking a freehold, filed 15 years ago. However, the Municipal Corporation scheduled the demolition for 4 February. This was postponed due to representations made by community members, including representations made by seven members of the BJP along with local leaders of the Congress and AAP as well as religious leaders.   

Within two days, Safia Malik filed a case with the Uttarakhand High Court, requesting an urgent decision. The community also attested that they would adhere to the decision of the court. However, the Uttarakhand High Court deferred the hearing to 14 February. 

On 8 February, at 4 pm, bulldozers with a large police escort arrived to demolish the structures. They were met by resistance from local community members, many of whom were women. The police responded aggressively as is seen in videos of women being manhandled by personnel.

This escalated the situation, resulting in stone pelting and arson. The police station was gheraoed allegedly with police personnel inside. However, at least one eyewitness report claims that residents took shelter in the police station to escape the mob.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called a high-level meeting in wake of the tension. Following which, the state information department issued a statement mentioning shoot on sight order.

On the day of the violence, five people were killed and at least 60 injured. Experts have noted that the police order is extra-judicial in nature. While police forces are allowed to use force while arresting people, the existing law prohibits excessive use of force.

Several videos have emerged of stone pelters attacking vehicles in the presence of the police while shouting communal slurs. According to a report by Maktoob Media, this incident occurred a day after a hall meeting was organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad where Pravin Togadia delivered a speech inciting violence against Muslims. 

During a hearing on 14 February, the court asked the petitioner how construction could be carried out at the site when the disputed property was given on lease by the government as agricultural land. The court added that the process of freehold on agricultural land is different and if construction is done on such land then the lease is automatically suspended. The court further directed the government to file a counter affidavit.

On 23 February, Abdul Malik, his wife Safia Malik and four others were booked for criminal conspiracy and fraudulently using a dead man's name for illegal plotting, construction, and transfer of land under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 417 (cheating) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code. On 29 February, the Uttarakhand Police arrested 64-year-old Abdul Malik from Delhi for mobilising and inciting a mob against police and municipal officials. Malik, however, has maintained that he was not in Haldwani that day. Malik was granted bail in one (encroachment of government land) of the four cases registered against him on 25 November.

In July 2024, the Supreme Court criticised the use of a PIL to order the evictions and accused the district collectors office of collusion with the railways. It also directed the Centre and the State to develop a humane rehabilitation plan. The survey began on 30 August 2024, and according to a news report, a hundred houses were marked for demolition on the first day. A definitive list of the total number of houses marked for demolition or of the rehabilitation plan is not available.

In December 2024, the state government informed the High Court that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charges against Malik in pending cases.

The Uttarakhand High Court in April 2025 rejected the bail plea of Abdul Malik, his son Abdul Moin, and 18 others. According to a news report, 50 accused have been granted bail so far but legal proceedings are still ongoing. As on 13 June 2025, Abdul Malik and 20 accused remain imprisoned in the violence case.