Toll in Haryana violence rises to five, curfew imposed in Nuh

A mosque was attacked in the Sector 57 area of Gurugram, leading to the death of a man and taking the toll in the violence that erupted over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession in Nuh district to five, police said on Tuesday.

Authorities on Tuesday imposed a curfew in Nuh where two home guards were killed and many others, including several policemen, injured on Monday, as Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij alleged that the violence was "engineered".

In Gurugram, a 26-year-old man was killed and a mosque set ablaze in Sector 57 as the violence spread from neighbouring Nuh, the police said.

The mob opened fire in which two persons were injured. One of them died during treatment. The victim has been identified as Saad, a native of Bihar, a senior officer said.

According to the police, the mob reached the Anjuman Masjid in Sector 57 after midnight. Some people in the crowd opened fire at the people present in the mosque and also set it ablaze.

In Nuh, two more people injured in the violence on Monday succumbed to their injuries. The victims are home guards Neeraj and Gursewak and Bhadas village resident Shakti. The identity of the fourth victim is still to be ascertained.

Ten policemen were among 23 injured in the violence in Nuh. The police have registered 11 FIRs in the district and detained 27 people in connection with the rioting.

At least 120 vehicles were damaged during the violence in the district. Of these, 50, including eight belonging to the police, were set ablaze.

Vij on Tuesday said a curfew has been clamped on Nuh district.

Alleging that the violence was "engineered", he told PTI Video, "Somebody masterminded it (the violence) but I do not want to reach any conclusions. We will investigate this and every single person responsible will be brought to justice." As news of the violence in Muslim-dominated Nuh spread on Monday, mobs in Sohna set ablaze four vehicles and a shop, apparently belonging to people from that community.

The situation in Nuh and Sohna continues to be tense. However, there were no reports of any fresh violence on Tuesday. Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in large numbers in Nuh and the other affected areas, the police said.

According to officials, the situation is under control in Nuh. Thirteen companies of central forces have already reached the district, while six others will reach soon.

Police have begun flag marches in Nuh while the district administration has appealed to the public to maintain peace.

Security has been tightened at all religious places following the Nuh violence and the attack on the Gurugram mosque, the police said.

Mobile internet services were suspended in Nuh and Faridabad up to Wednesday. Educational institutes were ordered to remain shut on Tuesday in Gurugram, Faridabad and Palwal districts as a precautionary measure.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said "strictest action" will be taken against those responsible for the incident.

"Today's incident is unfortunate. I appeal to all the people to maintain peace in the state. The guilty will not be spared at any cost, and strictest action will be taken against them," the chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.