Simmering discontent in the Mewat region over inaction in Junaid and Nasir murder case in February this year, a political rhetoric, and a few aggressive elements sneaking into the procession contributed to the clashes that broke out between two communities on July 31 with the provocative social media posts from both sides adding fuel to the fire, said Superintendent of Police (SP), Nuh, Narendra Bijarniya, denying any “long-term planning” behind the Nuh violence.
Mr. Bijarniya told The Hindu around 50 young men from villages in Rajasthan bordering Haryana came to stay at a hotel in Badkali and stones were piled up as part of the conspiracy to attack the procession. “The investigation so far suggests that one to two days of planning had gone into it,” said the Nuh police chief.
As many as 393 people have been arrested and 160 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered in connection with the communal clashes in Nuh on July 31 which later spread to parts of south Haryana, claiming six lives.
Minor altercation
Mr. Bijarniya, who took over as Nuh Superintendent of Police three days after the violence, said the Crime Investigation Department had “alerted” about it, and “adequate” police force was deployed along the 90-km route of the procession in Nuh, but it was “scattered” and could not control the situation. “It started as a minor altercation between the two groups and soon turned violent,” he said.
On a viral video of Nalhar Shiv temple showing some man firing from sophisticated weapons, Mr. Bijarniya said those were policemen in “plain clothes” and the devotees did not carry any firearms.
Mr. Bijarniya said Bajrang Dal member Bittu Bajrangi was arrested by the Faridabad police for posting provocative videos during the procession, and let off on bail, but Monu Manesar, accused in the Rajasthan killings, had only given a call to participate in the procession. He added that the statement by Congress’ Firozpur Jhirka MLA Mamman Khan against Monu was made inside the Assembly and therefore action could not be initiated against it.
Mr. Bijarniya said the three had no direct role in the riots, but their supporters had spread the provocative videos on the social media, flaring up communal tension.
The BJP has been targetting Mr. Khan for his statement on Monu Manesar made in the Haryana Assembly in February, accusing him of provocation.
‘No Pakistan connection’
The Nuh police chief rubbished the alleged “Pakistan connection” to the riots. “A few Pakistani social media handles tend to flare up every social, political and communal controversy in India. It is nothing new. There is no Pakistan connection to Nuh violence as such,” he asserted.
He also denied rumours of women devotees having gone missing or being misbehaved with, saying that “the hillocks around the Shiv temple in Nalhar were combed” and there was no truth in it. On the demolition action, Mr. Bijarniya said the call for the drive was taken by the civil administration. He said stones were thrown from the structures targeted during the drive. “Also, there were complaints of eve-teasing against those running illegal shops near the Nalhar Medical College, prompting the demolition action,” said the senior police officer.
