Haryana riots 'well-plannned', says Khattar; VHP demands NIA probe

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday (August 1) termed the Nuh violence as “unfortunate” and said the attack on a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) procession was “well-planned which pointed to a larger conspiracy”. He asserted that strict action will be taken against the culprits.

On Tuesday afternoon, in a fresh case of communal violence after the previous day’s attack on a VHP procession in adjoining Nuh district, a mob set fire to an eatery and vandalised adjoining shops in Gurugram’s Badshahpur. A fire brigade team reached the spot and controlled the blaze, police said.

The VHP likened the incident of violence in Haryana to a terror attack and demanded a probe into it by the National Investigation Agency. Addressing a press conference, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain claimed that the attacks were carried out against Hindu devotees in a pre-planned manner during a religious procession on Monday and were “incited” by some Congress leaders of Haryana.

He also alleged intelligence failure of the state police and claimed that rioters used sophisticated weapons and other regular firearms to attack the Hindu devotees during the procession. VHP activists will hold protests and demonstrations across the country on Wednesday against the planned attacks on Hindus in Haryana, Jain added.

What happened in Gurugram?

The mob ransacked some shops belonging to a particular community and chanted “Jai Shri Ram” in front of a mosque in Badshahpur. The Badshahpur market was also shut down, police said.

After getting information about the fresh violence, police reached the spot but the rioters had fled on their bikes and other vehicles by then, officials said, adding some suspects have been detained.

Also read: Haryana riots engineered to disturb peace, says minister; 5 dead; curfew in Nuh

“Some youths were trying to create ruckus in the market and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’. We reached the spot and handled the situation,” said Satish Kumar, SHO of Badshahpur police station. According to reports, some shanties were also set on fire on Kadarpur road. However, police have denied it.

Khattar’s remark

Five people have been killed so far in the violence that erupted on Monday. Four people, including two home guards, died and many others injured in Nuh, where mobs tried to stop the VHP procession, while a naib imam was killed at a mosque in Gurugram.

On Tuesday, authorities imposed a curfew in the district after the previous day’s violence. Khattar’s remarks came hours after Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said someone who wanted to disturb the peace in the state engineered the violence in Nuh.

Khattar on Tuesday afternoon held a meeting with Vij and senior officials, including the chief secretary, to take stock of the situation. Senior police officers, including the DGP, joined the meeting virtually.

According to an official statement, Khattar said that every year, the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra used to be taken out. This year, too, this Yatra was being taken out when the incidents occurred around 2 pm on Monday, he said.

Also read: Haryana: 1 dead, 20 hurt in clashes over VHP yatra; hundreds rescued from temple

Some people hatched a conspiracy and attacked the procession, Khattar said, adding police personnel were also attacked. “Definitely, it looks like part of a big conspiracy,” the CM said.

So far, 44 FIRs have been registered and 70 people taken into custody. After investigations, strict action will be taken against all those found involved in the violence, he said. Anyone who has participated in this arson will not be spared, he said.

Appeal to maintain peace

After the incident, Khattar had dispatched the DGP, ADGP (CID), and ADGP (law and order) to Nuh while police forces from neighbouring districts were rushed and the Centre was requested to send additional forces, the statement said.

Sixteen companies of central forces and 30 companies of Haryana Police also reached Nuh, and the situation in the district was normalised, said the CM.

In neighbouring areas, including Gurugram, Palwal, and Faridabad, some incidents of violence were reported and peace has been established now, the statement said.

As a precautionary measure, curfew has been imposed (in Nuh) and Section 144 clamped in some of the adjoining districts, Khattar said.

He again appealed to all to cooperate and help maintain peace, saying what happened in Nuh on Monday was unfortunate.

(With agency inputs)