Communal violence during yatra in Nuh; 2 killed, internet snapped

Two Home Guards were killed, over 200 people were injured and dozens of vehicles were torched as communal violence engulfed Haryana’s Nuh on Monday after clashes erupted between Hindu and Muslim groups during a religious procession by the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, said police.

- Leena Dhankhar and Debashish Karmakar

 

The administration issued prohibitory orders in Nuh and Gurugram districts, and snapped mobile internet services across Nuh, though tensions simmered well into the evening. Additional forces were parachuted in, while chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar urged residents to refrain from violence.

The Gurugram administration separately said schools across the district will be shut on Tuesday.

At least 20 people were detained till 11pm in connection with the violence.

200 people were in procession

According to police officers, the violence began 10 minutes after the procession, of around 200 people, began to walk from Edward Chowk in Nuh town around 2pm. As the group walked down the mainroad, it was allegedly pelted with rocks bya large crowd. The Hindu side initially fled, but then allegedly regrouped and retaliated.

Sajjan Dalal, deputy superintendent of police (Hodal), was shot in the head and was in a critical condition, said a senior police officer.

“He is undergoing treatment at Medanta hospital with inspector Anil Kumar of Gurugram police who has also sustained a bullet injury in his abdomen,” he said.

The trigger for the violence, said one police officer, was a rumour that Bajrang Dal member and cow vigilante Monu Manesar, wanted for murdering two Muslim men in Haryana’s Bhiwani this February, would also be a part of the procession.