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02-08-2023
Bureau Report + Agencies
NEW DELHI: A mosque was set on fire and a Muslim cleric killed during religious clashes that broke out after a procession by Hindu nationalist groups in the northern Indian state of Haryana.
Those killed in the violence in the state include two “home guards”, who assist the police in controlling riots and public disturbances, police say.
Several policemen are among the injured and have been admitted to hospital.
A curfew has been imposed in Nuh town where the clash took place.
Chief Minister ML Khattar has called the incident “unfortunate” and appealed for peace.
Violence broke out on Monday afternoon during a procession taken out by the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Footage from Nuh showed stone-pelting by a mob as cars were set on fire and shops were vandalized.
More than 2,000 people who were in town to take part in the procession were stranded in a temple as the clashes escalated. They were later evacuated by the police.
A VHP spokesperson told media that their procession had been attacked and called it “part of a well-planned conspiracy”.
The state government suspended internet services in Nuh citing “intense communal tension” and danger to life and property.
The violence, which lasted for several hours, soon spread to the neighboring areas of Faridabad, Palwal and Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon), on the outskirts of the capital, Delhi.
In Gurugram, a mosque was set ablaze by a mob.
A senior official said police had been deployed at the mosque when it was attacked. “But we were outnumbered by the attackers who opened fire suddenly,” Nitish Agarwal, Deputy Police Commissioner (East) of Gurugram, told BBC Hindi.
Police was now collecting videos related to the incident. “Some of the suspects have been identified and taken into custody,” Agarwal said.
The federal government has sent additional security forces to the state following a request from the Haryana government.
Randeep Singh Surjewala, a leader of the opposition Congress party, has blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government for “failing to control the law and order situation”.
Lawmaker from the regional Indian National Lok Dal party Abhay Singh Chautala said the state government had failed to take preventative action despite security concerns.
