New Delhi: The death toll in the communal clashes in Haryana’s Nuh district has increased to five, with three more reported Tuesday. Nearly 60 people have been injured.
The district, which continues to remain tense, was put under curfew on Tuesday after Monday’s destructive unrest that first claimed the lives of two home guards.
Around 12.10 am today, the Anjuman Mosque in neighbouring Gurugram’s Sector 57 was attacked by a mob resulting in the death of one person. One more was grievously injured.
The police have begun raids to ferret out the culprits while strengthening security of religious installations, the administration said.
Violence erupted Monday over an attempt to stop a procession called the “Braj Mandal Yatra” organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad and the Matra Shakti Durga Vahini.
At least 120 vehicles were damaged during the violence in the district. Of these, 50, including eight belonging to the police, were set ablaze. A police station was also reportedly attacked.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said Tuesday morning that the situation was under control. “The Internet has been snapped, a curfew is on, there is enough police presence too…. As soon as clashes started, we sent forces from Faridabad, Palwal, Gurugram, Jhajjar and Rewari. I have asked the central home secretary for more forces. The Air Force is also on standby,” Vij added.
Haryana government officials said there was no curfew in Faridabad, Palwal and Gurugram but Section 144 was in place to avoid untoward incidents in these districts. A peace committee meeting would also be held in Sohna, they said.
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 the clashes, police sources told ThePrint.
As the evening progressed, stones were hurled in several places, including in Gurugram’s Sohna, forcing the district administration to impose prohibitory orders.
Local residents in Nuh accused police and local authorities of negligence and apathy, citing some purportedly incendiary videos allegedly being circulated by Monu yadav alias Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante who is accused of abducting and murdering two Muslim men in Bhiwani earlier this year.
On Tuesday, nearly 3,000 people, who were part of the yatra, were stranded at the Nalhar Shiv Mandir, from where the procession began, and were eventually rescued.
Both Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda have appealed for calm.
Also read: Two Haryana home guards killed as communal clashes erupt during religious procession at Nuh