New Delhi: The People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) has called for an independent investigation into ‘police excesses’ in Haryana’s Nuh following last year’s violence during the annual Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra. The PUDR’s 55-page fact-finding report, titled “In the Wake of Nuh: A Report on State Repression”, was released at Delhi’s Press Club of India Monday. The report also demands the removal of charges under sections 10 and 11 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in cases related to the Nuh violence.
The report examines the state’s use of power against Nuh residents after the violence on 31 July, 2023, alleging that the state managed to “brutalise a set of Muslim youths, destroy the homes and livelihoods of another set of unconnected people and further the communalisation in society and of the state functionaries”.
The PUDR has analysed bail orders, jail conditions, and the conduct of raids and arrests, highlighting alleged communal biases within the police force. It notes that 427 Muslims and 14 Hindus were arrested, with charges filed against only one Hindu, Bittu Bajrangi, despite evidence of others being armed. Even the case against Bajrangi was filed 15 days later.
In 91 percent of the bail orders reviewed by the PUDR, courts noted a lack of independent or corroborating evidence supporting the arrests. In one case, a man with a 75 percent orthopedic disability was implicated in 17 different cases. The court granted him bail, questioning the feasibility of his involvement in all the incidents in a single day.
The report was released by former Supreme Court Justice Madan Lokur and former Delhi University Professor Manoranjan Mohanty at the event, which was attended by human rights activists, lawyers and journalists.
Lokur welcomed the report and stressed on the need to fix accountability of the police. “The police know whether there is evidence or whether there is not any evidence. But the idea is, let’s punish the person,” he said.
In 2023, the clashes that erupted during the ‘Braj Mandal Yatra’, a procession organised by Hindu groups Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Matra Shakti Durga Vahini, led to the death of six people, including two home guards, and left dozens injured.
According to the PUDR, 60 FIRs had been filed till June 2024, and 441 arrests made.
Nuh is a Muslim majority district in Haryana’s Mewat region. The yatra was scheduled to go from the Shiv temple to Ferozepur Jhirka, but a mob stopped the procession at Khoda Mor in Nuh, leading to clashes.
This year’s yatra went off peacefully amid heavy security arrangements.
ThePrint reached Assistant Superintendent of Police, Nuh, Sonakshi Singh, for a comment on the PUDR report. “I have not yet seen this, so I can’t comment right now,” she said.
Also read: Internet snapped, no VHP or Bajrang Dal in organising committee. Nuh ready for Jalabhishek Yatra
Communal bias, excessive force used, economic hardship
PUDR report claims that several of those arrested were subjected to communal abuses and brutal violence, including “torture with rollers”. Also, it says police demanded bribes from hapless relatives in return for not inventing evidence against the arrestees, or torturing them less.
The inmates, the report adds, described horrific overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions in jail. According to a writ petition filed by one of the inmates before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, some inmates were brutally assaulted and communally abused by police and jail officials.
Besides commenting on Nuh’s non-communal history, the report discusses the costs of repression. Residents face economic hardships because of destruction of homes, arrests of breadwinners and disruption of trade and commerce.
Though most accused have been released on bail, high surety amounts and day-long court appearances impact their ability to resume their employment. “Where is the person going to get that kind of money from?” asked Justice Lokur.
“But I am afraid, we are not giving the kind of importance to legal aid as we should. With the result, that few persons stay on in jail,” he added.
The PUDR report also refers to the demolition of a large number of houses. “Even if it is illegally constructed, even if it is on encroached land, a person would like to say something. You think it is illegal but, well the person may show you that it is not illegal,” said Justice Lokur.