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A religious procession escalated to violence in Haryana's Nuh on Monday, 31 July, claiming the lives of five people, including two home guards.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Hodal) Sajjan Dalal was shot at in the head while inspector Anil Kumar of Gurugram police sustained a bullet injury in his abdomen, a police official told Hindustan Times.
Damaged police vehicles, allegedly vandalized by miscreants after clashes broke out during a 'Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra', in Nuh, Monday, July 31, 2023
(Photo: PTI)
Haryana home minister Anil Vij on Tuesday, 1 August, ordered probe into the clashes. He what happened in Nuh was "a well-planned conspiracy".
What led to violence: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad's 'Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra' was flagged off from Gurugram’s Civil Lines by BJP district president Gargi Kakkar, according to a report by news agency PTI.
Police forces were also dispatched to escort the procession, as per the report.
A group of men stopped the VHP-organised Yatra near Nuh's Khedla Mod and "stones were pelted," PTI reported citing police officials.
Teargas was later used by the authorities to disperse the crowd.
Aftermath: Officials told PTI that four cars were set on fire after the clashes broke out.
Three people, including two home guards, died and at least seven police officials were wounded in the violence.
The injured police officials are receiving medical treatment at Gurugram's Medanta Hospital.
A few police vehicles were also reportedly damaged amid the violence.
"Today's incident is unfortunate, I appeal to all the people to maintain peace in the state. The guilty will not be spared at any cost, strictest action will be taken against them," Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar tweeted in Hindi on Monday night.
Why it matters: Bajrang Dal leader and cow vigilante Monu Manesar was reportedly expected to attend Monday's procession. Manesar is an accused in the Junaid-Nasir murder case, where the bodies of the two Muslim men from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur were found burnt inside a car in Haryana’s Bhiwani in February this year.
Manesar, however, told news agency PTI that he did not participate on the advice of the VHP, which feared that his presence would create tension. There were also threats on Twitter daring him to come to Nuh.
Clampdown: The BJP government ordered Section 144 of the CrPc to be imposed in Nuh district, prohibiting four or more people to gather in a specified area.
Internet services have also suspended over the next two days "in order to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, etc. on mobile phones and SMS..."according to an order dated Monday, 31 July.
All government and private educational institutions were ordered to be shut on Tuesday, 1 August.
"Adequate force is being deployed there. We've also spoken to the Centre. We are trying to restore peace there. All those who are stranded in different areas of Mewat region are being rescued," Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
(With inputs from PTI and The Indian Express.)
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