Haryana: Motorcycle-borne men vandalise shops in Panipat; bulldozer action continues

A group of motorcycle-borne masked men on Sunday (August 6) allegedly vandalised some shops and injured a few people at two places in Panipat, the incident coming on the heels of the communal clashes in Nuh.

Three to four people have suffered minor injuries in Sunday’s violence, the official said. According to the police, the youths attacked in a sudden spurt and fled. The attackers targeted shops belonging to members of a particular community at two places in Panipat, the police said.

The police later rounded up 15 people and they are being questioned, an official in Panipat said. “The attackers were youths aged between 20 and 25 and were riding motorcycles. They wore masks,” he said. A few days ago, some unidentified people allegedly vandalised a chicken shop in Panipat. The shop was located near the house of a man killed in the Nuh clashes, the police had said earlier.

Also read: Haryana | No mastermind behind violence, culprits being identified, arrested: Nuh SP

Illegal structures razed

The district administration of strife-torn Nuh district on Sunday (August 6) razed several illegal structures including a hotel-cum-restaurant from where stones were allegedly pelted on a religious procession during the clashes early last week, officials said.

This is the fourth day of demolition drive in Nuh with the district administration saying they have identified 16 illegal structures which will be bulldozed on Sunday. SDM Ashwani Kumar said these illegal structures were used by “hooligans” to throw stones during the recent violence. Nuh District Magistrate Dhirender Khadgata said curfew is being relaxed on Sunday as well and people can buy essential goods from 9 am to 12 noon.

The district administration had on Saturday bulldozed illegal constructions at 12 different places, including 2.6 acres of land around Nalhar Medical College. “These were illegal constructions. Notices were already given to owners of the demolished structures. The owners of some illegal structures were also involved in the violence during the Braj Mandal religious yatra. The demolition drive will continue,” SDM Kumar had said on Saturday.

#WATCH | Haryana | Curfew in Nuh lifted for the movement of public from 9 am to 12 noon (3 hours only) today.

People step out of their houses to purchase vegetables and other medicines. Visuals from Nuh Sabzi Mandi. pic.twitter.com/giwCz4BUov

— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2023

Six people including two home guards and a cleric of a mosque were killed when communal clashes broke out during a procession of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on July 31. Later, the violence spread to the nearby Gurugram, keeping administration and police on their toes.

A four-member delegation of the Communist Party of India is, meanwhile, expected to visit the violence-affected areas of Gurugram and Nuh on Sunday.

Also read: Over 200 arrested, 102 FIRs lodged in connection with Nuh violence: Haryana minister

Security up for mahapanchayat

In the neighbouring Gurugram district, security has been tightened ahead of the Mahapanchayat called by the Hindu Samaj in Tigra village.

The mahapanchayat is being held to protest against the arrest of four youths in connection with the burning of a mosque in Sector-57 of Gurugram and the killing of its Naib Imam during the peak of violence last week. The participants claim those arrested have nothing to do with the case. The administration is on high alert and heavy police force has been deployed in the entire area.

“For the last two to three days, Gurugram is peaceful. No incident has been reported. We feel that today’s panchayat will be carried out peacefully. We have had talks with all sides. They have assured us that the panchayat will happen peacefully…The panchayat starts at 9 am. Around 500-1,000 people are expected to attend it…,” ANI quoted ACP DLF Gurugram, Vikas Kaushik as saying.

Also read: Haryana violence: Demolition drive continues in Nuh; curfew relaxed

No internet services till Aug 8

Meanwhile, the Haryana government on Saturday extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Nuh till August 8, according to an official order.

Suspension of these two services in Palwal district has been extended till 5 pm on August 7, it said. The order to extend the suspension was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home), TVSN Prasad, on Saturday evening. The Haryana government had earlier suspended mobile internet and SMS services and later extended till August 5.

“This order is extended to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of district Nuh and shall be in force up to 08.08.2023 (23:59 hrs),” it stated.

Also read: Haryana violence: Shop vandalised in Panipat; bikes set on fire in Pataudi

“It has been brought to my notice by the deputy commissioners of Nuh that the law-and-order situation has been reviewed and intimated that conditions are still critical and tense in their respective districts,” the order stated.

(With inputs from agencies)