Haryana violence: Imam among 5 dead in communal clashes in Nuh; Gurugram on alert

At least five people, including two home guards and an Imam, have lost their lives in clashes that broke out on Monday during a religious procession in Haryana's Nuh. The religious procession was taken out by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) but stones were pelted by a group of another community, leading to clashes in which several people were left injured.  

Also read: Haryana clashes: CM Manohar Lal Khattar to hold meeting with Anil Vij, officials

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today confirmed that five people lost their lives in the clashes, including two police officers. The police have imposed a curfew in Nuh and mobile internet services have been suspended in the district. Clashes in Nuh have also prompted authorities in neighbouring Gurugram to take measures to prevent any possible communal flare-up. The Gurugram Deputy Commissioner on Monday imposed Section 144 till August 2.  

Also read: Nuh violence: ‘Situation under control,’ says Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij 

Today, Khattar said that around 44 FIRs have been registered and 70 people have been taken into custody. "Strict actions will be taken against them. So far 5 people have lost their lives including two police officials. We will provide all possible assistance to them. I appeal to the common people to maintain peace in the district," Khattar told the news agency ANI.

According to India Today, eyewitnesses said that a mob attacked Nuh's Gorakhnath Temple. They attacked the temple's priest and burnt down a motorcycle. The priest had bruise marks on his body, the report said, adding that they also resorted to stone pelting.

Communal tensions that started in Nuh have reached Gurugram. Three people died in Nuh while the Imam was killed in Gurugram. Two people, including an Imam, were attacked on Monday night outside an under-construction mosque in Gurugram's Sector-56, India Today reported.

PTI reported that the situation in Nuh continues to be tense, but there were no reports of any fresh violence on Tuesday.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij suggested that the incident was pre-planned. He said clashes in Nuh did not appear to have happened all of a sudden. "The level of violence that took place and also occurred at different points, the way stones were collected, the way weapons were brandished, the way shots were fired, it does not appear to have happened all of a sudden," Vij said.

The state home minister said that both the communities live peacefully in Nuh but somebody who wanted to disturb peace in the state engineered or masterminded this incident. He, however, said that he did not want to immediately reach any conclusion as his government's primary objective was to bring the situation under control and maintain peace.

Vij said forces from neighboring Palwal, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Jhajjar, and Rewari districts were sent after violence erupted in Nuh. "Today forces from other parts of Haryana are being sent," he said. Vij further said he has spoken to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and the state has been allotted 20 companies of central forces. If the need arises to airlift forces from any far-off place, the Indian Air Force has been asked to be on standby. Some companies of central forces have already reached Nuh, he further said.

Speaking on a number of deaths, the home minister said two home guards were killed and many police personnel suffered injuries. He said 15 people were brought to the medical college in Nalhar while one was brought dead. Three police personnel who suffered gunshot wounds are on ventilator support. He also informed that several people were taken hostage in a temple.

(With inputs from PTI)