New Delhi: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday called violence in Nuh district ‘unfortunate’ and suspected a ‘bigger conspiracy’ behind the clashes that broke out between two groups on Monday and claimed five lives.
“This is an unfortunate incident. A Yatra was being organised during which some people attacked Yatris and the police. Violent incidents were reported at several places. There seems to be a big conspiracy behind this,” Khattar told the news agency ANI.
He said that around 44 FIRs have been registered and 70 people have been taken into custody.
“Strict actions will be taken against them,” the Haryana CM added.
Four people were killed and several others injured in Nuh following violence that erupted over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) procession on Monday afternoon.
A mosque was also attacked in the Sector 57 area of neighboring Gurugram, leading to the death of a cleric and taking the toll in the violence to five, police said on Tuesday.
Nuh violence engineered by someone who wanted to disturb peace: Haryana minister
Earlier in the day, Haryana home minister Anil Vij said that someone who wanted to disturb the peace in the state engineered the violence in Nuh. Speaking to reporters in Ambala, he said the incident in Nuh does not appear to have happened all of a sudden.
“The level of violence that took place and also occurred at different points, the way stones were collected, the way weapons were brandished, the way shots were fired, it does not appear to have happened all of a sudden,” he said.
Both the communities live peacefully there, he added.
Somebody who wanted to disturb peace in the state and the country engineered or masterminded this incident, Vij claimed.
“I don’t want to immediately reach any conclusion. Our primary objective is to bring the situation under control and maintain peace,” the Haryana home minister said.
He said a curfew has been clamped in Nuh and that forces from neighbouring Palwal, Faridabad, Gurugram, Jhajjar and Rewari districts were sent after violence erupted in the district.
Haryana’s Nuh clashes: Situation now under control
According to officials, the situation is now under control in Nuh. Police conducted flag marches in Nuh and the district administration has appealed to the public to maintain peace.
Peace committee meetings were also held in Nuh and Sohna districts with people assuring the administration to maintain peace.
At least 120 vehicles were damaged during the violence in the district. Of these, 50, including eight belonging to the police, were set ablaze. As news of the violence in Muslim-dominated Nuh spread on Monday, mobs in Sohna set ablaze four vehicles and a shop, apparently belonging to people from that community.
Subsequently, mobile internet services were suspended in Nuh and Faridabad till Wednesday. Schools and colleges were also ordered to remain shut on Tuesday in Gurugram, Faridabad and Palwal districts as a precautionary measure.
