Nuh violence spills over into Gurugram, mosque, eatery torched

Mobs killed a cleric in a late night attack on a mosque, torched an eatery and vandalised shops as communal violence that began in Haryana's Nuh spilled over into Gurugram, taking the death toll to five, the police said on Tuesday.

A mob set fire to an under-construction mosque in Gurugram's sector 57 and shot dead the naib imam past Monday midnight. And two more men succumbed to their injuries after the previous day's Nuh attack, which has claimed four lives.

Over 50 people, including 10 policemen, were injured in Mod in Nuh, a police officer said. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called the attack a part of a larger conspiracy, while the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency.

Authorities clamped a curfew Tuesday morning in Nuh district. Security forces held flag marches in adjoining districts as well and several peace committee meetings were organised.

Hours after mobs targeted a VHP procession -- opening fire, pelting stones and torching cars -- at Khedla Mod in Nuh, rioters burnt vehicles and shops in Gurugram's Sohna town. No casualties were reported there as the police dispersed the Sohna mob by 9 pm Monday.

But past midnight, another group set fire to the under-construction Anjuman Masjid. The 26-year-old naib imam, Saad, and another man were injured as the mob opened fire. The imam, a native of Bihar, died in hospital, an official said.

Five people were rounded up in connection with the attack on the mosque.

On Tuesday afternoon, a mob shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans set fire to a roadside eatery in Gurugram's Badshahpur. A couple of shops in the market nearby were also vandalised, the police said.

The fire brigade doused the flames. When police reached the spot, the rioters -- said to be around 70 -- fled on their motorcycles and other vehicles, officials said.

Traders downed shutters along the 20-km Badshahpur-Sohna road, protesting over the Nuh violence.

In many housing complex in Gurugram, adjacent to the national capital, people were on edge.

There were also unconfirmed reports that Muslim residents in some parts of the district were leaving their homes, at least temporarily.

But the administration denied this, and appealed to people not to spread rumours. Gurugram authorities also announced that schools and educational institutions ordered closed on Tuesday will reopen Wednesday, except for those in Sohna.

In the Sohna violence on Monday, five vehicles and three shops were damaged, according to the administration.

Haryana CM Khattar, who took a review meeting, said the Nuh violence appeared to be part of a ”big conspiracy”. He warned of strict action against the culprits. “No rioter will be spared,” he said.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij also claimed the violence was ”engineered”.

"Somebody masterminded it but I don't want to reach any conclusions. We will investigate this and every single person responsible will be brought to justice," he said.

In Delhi, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain claimed that the Nuh attack was carried out against Hindu devotees ”in a pre-planned manner” during a religious procession and was "incited" by some Congress leaders from Haryana.

He also alleged intelligence failure by the state government, and also called for an NIA investigation.

CM Khattar said 16 paramilitary and 30 Haryana police companies are deployed in Nuh, where 44 FIRs were registered and 70 people taken into custody.

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 mobs tried to stop the VHP's Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra to some temples in the district, officials said.

Security has been tightened at temples and mosques following the Nuh violence and the attack on the Gurugram mosque, an official said.

On Monday, mobile internet services were suspended in Nuh and Faridabad up to Wednesday. Prohibitory orders were clamped in the adjoining districts.

Educational institutes were ordered to remain shut on Tuesday in Gurugram, Faridabad and Palwal districts as a precautionary measure.