On Monday afternoon, there was a terrible incident of violence in Nuh Chowk. Communal clashes erupted when a group of people, about 80 in number, who were participating in the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra, tried to go to a Shiv temple in Nalhar but were stopped.
The clash led to the very sad loss of two homeguards lives and left several others injured.
The yatra procession was planned and carried out together by three groups: Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Matrishakti Durgavahini. About 2,000 people participated in this event. They started their journey from Civil Lines in Gurgaon, and this was the third time they were doing it.
In a recent report, Monu Manesar, a wanted Bajrang Dal member linked to a double murder case, was suspected to be present in one of the cars during a procession. Some participants had swords and sticks, and many vehicles displayed ‘gau rakshak’ stickers.
He was wanted by Rajasthan Police in a double murder case, and shared a video on social media, inviting others to join him in the yatra (procession).
A few organizations in Nuh issued warnings of “serious outcomes” if Monu Manesar will be present. Although some individuals said they had “seen” Monu Manesar in a car on Monday, the police sources informed that he wasn’t there.
Even though there were a good number of police officers present, it turned out to be not enough when the conflict started. Things got worse very quickly, and the people taking part in the yatra were attacked with stones, petrol bombs, and sticks.
The clash went on for about three hours, during which many police cars, a schoolbus, and shops were set on fire, causing a lot of damage and confusion in the area.
Around a hundred people found safety at the Shiv temple, and more police from nearby districts were called to bring the situation under control.
This is how the violence started:
At 10 am: Many people gathered for the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh near Nalhar. The march was supposed to go through temples in the area and end by evening.
At 12 pm: Some members of the group reportedly started shouting slogans, and this led to people throwing stones at each other. This incident began at Khedla Mod in Nuh.
At 4 pm: The clashes had spread throughout Nuh by this time. People set vehicles, police stations, stores, and gas stations on fire. Some individuals with weapons also fired shots into the air.
At 5.30 pm: The Haryana government took action and suspended mobile internet and SMS services in Nuh until August 2. They said it was because of serious communal conflict and a threat to people’s lives and property.
At 6 pm: The violence extended to nearby areas of Nuh, including Sohna in Gurgaon, Hodal in Palwal, and Ballabgarh in Faridabad.