Nuh, Gurugram Remain Tense After Communal Violence

Situation remained tense in Haryana’s Nuh and part of Gurugram on Tuesday after violence broke out during a religious procession on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, two home guards were killed and over 50 people including policemen have been injured in Nuh after a mob of miscreants pelted stones and set cars on fire during a religious procession on Monday evening.

According to the police, a religious procession ‘Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra,’ which was flagged off from Gurugram’s Civil Lines by Bharatiya Janata Party district president Gargi Kakkar, was stopped by a group of men near Khedla Mod in Nuh.

However, various media reports suggest that around 2 pm on Monday, more than 200 people started walking from Edward Chowk in Nuh town. A large crowd then pelted stones on the procession.

Some reports claimed that the trigger for the clash was an objectionable video posted on social media by a Bajrang Dal activist in Ballabgarh.

The locals The Citizen spoke to claimed that Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante booked earlier for the murder of two Muslim men whose charred bodies were found in the Bhiwani district in February, was supposed to join the procession.

Speaking to The Citizen, Mustafa Badar, a resident of Nuh said that the procession was carrying swords and knives. “They were using provocative language and waving the swords in the air when they entered the area. What were swords doing in a religious procession and why were they using violent language.” This, he said, led to a clash.

A call for the yatra was given by Manesar on his social media where he requested people to gather at a temple.

Speaking to The Citizen, Inam Hasan, a local activist from Mewat said that the mob, which was from outside, had involved miscreants who during the procession started getting violent. “This is not the first time this is happening. There were people from Faridabad who had earlier as well tried to create tensions in the area,” he said.

Section 144 has been imposed in Nuh and Gurugram, while internet services have been temporarily suspended till Wednesday. Along with this, mobile internet services have also been suspended in Faridabad till Wednesday. However, locals claim the situation is normal.

In Haryana's Nuh, mobile internet services were suspended till Wednesday to contain the "intense communal tension", the Haryana government said. "...This order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of district Nuh and shall be in force with effect from 4 pm, July 31 to 23:59 hours of August 2," Additional Chief Secretary (Home) T V S N Prasad said.

“The locals live together. All this is the work of outsiders,” he added.

There have also been demands by the people to arrest Manesar who has FIR against him in Bhiwani murder.

A self-acclaimed cow vigilante, Manesar has been the centre of many such violent incidents in the past. However, the Haryana Police has failed to arrest him, which has triggered anger among the people.

“Why hasn’t he been arrested till now? A man who has multiple cases against him and has openly accepted killing people and creating violence is openly going about. There is anger amongst people due to that,” Badar said.

Nuh is a subdivision in Mewat District of Haryana and has seen tensions before as well. But what triggered violence in Nuh?

“It is all because of Manesar. He is at the centre of it all. He had posted on his social media for a yatra for which mobs were called from outside. He was not even part of the procession, so the intention was clearly to create violence,” Hasan said.

On claims by various media reports that the mob who pelted stones also lit fire to police vehicles have been quashed by the locals, who alleged that the mob from the procession did it.

“They are claiming we set fire to the cars. These mobs did it and are blaming Muslims for it. Even the media is showing that. Why is Manesar not getting arrested,” another local said.

Two home guards were shot dead and about a dozen policemen were injured in the violence. The deceased have been identified as Neeraj and Gursevak who were deployed at Khedali Daula police station.

Meanwhile, the injured have been taken to Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital.

The Haryana Chief Minister M.L Khattar took to Twitter and said that the “perpetrators will not be spared”.

“Today’s incident is sad and we appeal to the people for peace. Perpetrators will not be spared and strict action will be taken against them,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, all educational institutions including schools, colleges, and coaching centres will remain closed on Tuesday in Haryana's Gurugram, District Information and Public Relations Officer, Gurugram stated on Monday.

The order has been issued by District Magistrate Nishant Kumar Yadav.

On Monday evening, various handles on social media alerted of attacks on dargahs and Mosques with the death of a Muslim imam.

According to reports, Anjuman Masjid of Gurugram Sector 57 was set on fire by a mob, and three Muslims have been injured and admitted to W Pratiksha Hospital.