Internet snapped in Haryana town over fear of 'communal tension'

The Haryana government on Sunday ordered suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Nuh district for three days over apprehensions of communal tension and breach of peace following a call for more protests over the abduction-murder of two men from Rajasthan allegedly by cow vigilantes.

The restrictions "shall remain in force with effect from February 26 to February 28, 2023 (23:59 hrs)," according to an official order.

Sources said security has been strengthened in Nuh, where hundreds of people blocked the Nuh-Alwar highway in Firozpur Jhirka on Friday demanding the arrest of the accused in the abduction and murder of the two men from Bharatpur whose charred bodies were found in Haryana's Bhiwani.

"Haryana Government has issued a temporary suspension of mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services including bulk SMS and excluding banking and mobile recharge, and all dongle services, etc. provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in the territorial jurisdiction of district Nuh with immediate effect," it said.

It cited "potential cause for communal tension and disturbance of public peace".

The temporary suspension has been imposed to stop the spread of disinformation and rumours through various social media platforms, such as Whatsapp, Facebook Twitter, etc. on mobile phones and SMS, the order said.

The protest on Friday led to a massive jam on the highway for around an hour but finally police managed to control the situation and got the road cleared.

After the protest on the Nuh-Alwar highway, a call was made for a series for a series of protests in Nuh district.

Police on Saturday booked more than 500 people for blocking the highway.

Nasir and Junaid, both residents of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes on February 15 and their bodies were found in a charred car in Loharu in Haryana's Bhiwani the next day.

The Rajasthan Police has said it has got concrete evidence against eight accused named in the FIR. They are Anil and Srikant from Nuh, Kalu from Kaithal, Kishore and Shashikant from Karnal, Monu and Gogi from Bhiwani, and Vikas of Jind, officials said.

However, the role of Monu Manesar, a member of Bajrang Dal, in the case is still being investigated, officials said.

On Wednesday, arrested accused Rinku Saini was produced before a court that sent him to police remand till February 27.