Six people killed in communal violence in Haryana, 116 arrested so far: CM Khattar

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said six people, including two home guards, have died in the communal violence in the state while 116 have been arrested.

He said that stray incidents of violence reported elsewhere after the Nuh clashes have been brought under control and the situation has become normal now.

The injured have been admitted to various hospitals, including at Nalhar in Nuh and Medanta in Gurugram, the Haryana chief minister said, adding that 116 people have been arrested while a search was on to nab the other accused.

They will be taken on remand for further questioning while a search operation is on to nab other accused who are absconding, he said.

According to the police, special investigation teams will be formed for in-depth investigation of all cases related to the violence.

In a statement, Khattar said as per information so far, six people have died of which two are home guards and four are civilians while several people have been injured.

The conspirators are being identified, he said, while promising strict action against the guilty and asserting that the security of common people "is our responsibility".

Interacting with reporters in Ambala on Wednesday, Home Minister Anil Vij said Nuh has been divided into eight sectors and one IPS officer has been put on duty in each of them. FIRs are being registered in connection with the clashes there, he said.

"We are also going through various social media posts, Vij said, adding 41 FIRs have been registered so far. Some cases have been registered in Rewari and Gurugram as well, he said.            Asked about VHP activists holding protests in the national capital and some other places against the Haryana violence, Vij said, "Everyone has the right to have their say. You know, every action has a reaction and this is the law of nature. But we want to tell all that it (protest) should be in a peaceful manner." Asked who could be the mastermind behind the clashes, Vij said, "One thing is clear that someone had planned the Nuh incident. It could not have been a spontaneous attack as the (Brij Mandal Jalabhishek) is taken out each year." "Someone gathered people, stones were collected at different strategic points, bullets were fired, weapons were used," he said.

Vij was also asked about a viral video of Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante booked earlier by the Rajasthan Police in connection with the killing of two Muslim men, that he would join the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek procession in Nuh.

Asked if that video could have instigated some people, Vij said, "I have seen that video, nowhere is he instigating people to riot, he is asking people to join the yatra." Chief Minister Khattar termed the violence in Nuh "tragic" and urged people to maintain peace and harmony. Allowing tension to escalate can have a detrimental effect on the spirit of brotherhood, he said.

He said that apart from Haryana police personnel, 20 companies of central security forces have been deployed in the state. Three of them have been stationed in Palwal, two in Gurugram, one in Faridabad and 14 in Nuh, Khattar said.

Vij also appealed to people to maintain peace and warned those spreading hatred or misinformation.