Haryana Violence: Police Say No Mastermind In Nuh Violence, 102 FIRs Filed And Over 250 Held

The Haryana Police on Friday said the investigation so far shows there was no single mastermind in Nuh communal violence. 

Earlier on Monday, violence broke out in Nuh when a Hindu organisation's religious procession was attacked. The violence later spread to neighbouring Gurugram as a mosque was attacked and shops were set on fire. A total of six people died in the violence. 

Separately, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said that 102 FIRs have been registered and over 250 people have been held by the police. In a statement that appeared to contrast what the police said, he said there was "a big game plan" and questioned how every person was armed in Nuh. Earlier too, he had said the communal violence appear "engineered".

Though the violence began in Nuh, Deputy Commissioner Prashant Pawar said there has been no violence in the district in past four days. During these days, violence has been reported from nearby Gurugram and Panipat. 

Here we list the latest developments related to the Haryana communal violence.

1. No single mastermind in Nuh: SP Narendra Singh Bijarnia

Nuh SP Narendra Singh Bijarnia said the investigation so far shown that there was no single mastermind for the Nuh violence. 

The Nuh violence was "the doing of several disparate groups", PTI quoted Bijarnia as saying. 

On Monday, violence erupted in Nuh after a religious procession of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) came under an attack from a mob. Stones were pelted at the procession, bullets were fired, and vehicles were set on fire. Around 2,500 persons from the procession took shelter at a temple in Nuh and were stranded there for several hours until they were rescued by police. Four were killed in Nuh. The attacking mob surrounded the temple and targeted it with stones and bullets. 

"When NDTV visited the temple, about 7 km from Nuh town, the Aravallis surrounding the temple looked scenic. Hours before, rioters gathered on these hillocks had fired shots and thrown stones as those inside the temple cowered into corners, hoping to survive those hours of horror," reported NDTV on Tuesday.

Later, the violence spread to Gurugram and a mosque's imam was killed in an attack.

"No mischievous elements will be spared. Encroachment reports of buildings from where stones were pelted are also being prepared. Action will be taken against them according to rules," said Bijarnia, as per PTI.

2. Case registered against cow vigilante Bajrangi 

Nuh SP Bijarnia said a case has been registered against Goraksha Bajrang Force President Bittu Bajrangi in Faridabad in connection with the Monday clashes.

Bajrangi, alias Raj Kumar, 45, is a fruit and vegetables trader at the Gazipur market and Dabua maket in Faridabad and is a Bajrang Dal member, reported PTI, citing sources, adding that sources say he has been running his cow vigilante group for the last three years.

"In the last one month alone, he has been booked in three cases of inciting religious sentiments," reported PTI.

Bijarnia said 55 FIRs have been registered so far and 141 people have been arrested. He also said that a strict vigil is being kept on the social media to prevent spread of fake news, rumour or inciting speech etc.

3. No violence in Nuh for 4 days

Nuh Deputy Commissioner Prashant Pawar said normal life was returning on back on track in the district — where the violence first began this week.

Pawar said no violence incident has been reported from anywhere in Nuh district for the last four days.

"As part of the process of restoring peace in the area, the district administration has held meetings with the peace committees of different areas of the district. Members of the committee have fully assured that they will not allow any kind of tension to arise in the area. As situation is now returning to normal, resumption of internet services is also being considered. Soon a positive decision will be taken on the basis of the intelligence report," Panwar said, as per PTI.

Pawar also said the Haryana government has started a compensation portal to make up for losses suffered by people in looting and arson in the violence that went on for at least two days, reported PTI. 

4. Over 250 held, 102 FIRs lodged: Haryana Home Minister Vij

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said that over 250 people have been held over the communal violence in the state this week so far. 

Of the people held so far, 202 have been arrested and 80 have been taken into preventive detention, said Vij, as per PTI.

Vij said that 102 FIRs have also been filed, including 51 in Nuh and the rest in nearby districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, and Palwal which also reported violence. 

Vij further said that those who have been detained are being questioned as per the law and further action is being taken accordingly, reported PTI.

Referring to the Friday namaz, Vij said he has spoken to the Deputy Commissioners of Nuh, Faridabad and Gurugram, and instructions have been given issued for adequate security arrangements, reported PTI. 

5. It is a big game plan, no one will be spared: Vij

In a statement that appeared to in contrast to Nuh SP's statement that there was no single mastermind in the violence in the district, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said the Haryana communal violence is "a big game plan" and said no one involved will be spared. 

"I want to assure you that anyone involved in the violence won't be spared...It is a big game plan…Every person had a lathi in his hand. Were these being distributed for free? Someone must have arranged these. Bullets were being fired. From where did weapons come…? We will go to the depth of the matter," said Vij, as per PTI.

6. Shop vandalised in Panipat

Even as the violence abated in Nuh and the administration worked towards restoring peace in Gurugram, miscreants vandalised a shop in Haryana's Panipat. 

The miscreants vandalised the shop, which sold chicken, on Thursday evening and also damaged two vehicles parked nearby, reports PTI. 

The PTI quoted the police as saying that the shop was located near the house of a man killed in the Nuh violence. 

"Some local residents told reporters that there was harmony and brotherhood among the people living in the area and the act was carried out by some miscreants trying to vitiate the 'peaceful' atmosphere," reported PTI. 

A senior police officer from Panipat said the matter was under investigation, reported PTI, adding that the officer said the situation was peaceful and additional force has been deployed in sensitive areas.

7. Social media being scanned, special committee formed: Vij

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said the government is monitoring the social media for provocative content. 

Vij said that a committee has been formed, comprising information technology (IT) specialists, that is scanning social media content. 

Vij told ANI, "We are scanning social media. I have formed a committee headed by Special Secretary (Home), which also comprises IT cell personnel. The committee will scan social media. If some people are found to have posted provocative posts, action will be taken against them."

8. 'Illegal' shanties demolished in Nuh

Days after the communal violence in Nuh, around 250 shanties of 'illegal' immigrants allegedly encroaching upon government land were demolished in Nuh's Nauru.

An official said that the occupants of the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) land were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who were earlier living in Assam and the shanties were demolished Thursday evening, reported PTI. 

Though the demolition came days after the communal violence that have killed six and injured dozens, Nuh Deputy Commissioner Prashant Panwar denied the action was linked to the recent violence and said it was part of a normal process of clearing encroachments, reported PTI.

9. Link of attack on cyber police station with crackdown being probed: Vij

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij also said that it is being investigated whether there was a link between attack on a cyber police station and recent crackdown on alleged cyber-criminals in the state. 

Earlier on Thursday, Haryana’s Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Home TVSN Prasad said the cyber police station in Nuh was the first to be attacked. 

The Tribune quoted Prasad as saying that the attack was not "related to religious issues". 

"It is to be answered why the cyber police station (of Nuh) was attacked. Who will get benefit from burning down a police station? It (violence) is not related to religious issues. Troublemakers had come to commit the crime," said Prasad, as per The Tribune. 

The paper also reported that, in April, a massive crackdown was conducted in Nuh. A total of 102 teams of 5,000 policemen had raided 14 villages and detained 124 suspected cyber hackers, of whom 66 were arrested, reported The Tribune, adding that after their remand, the police on May 10 had claimed that they had defrauded around 28,000 people across the country of more than Rs 100 crore.

Vij on Friday also said that investigations are underway to find out "who attacked the police station and what records they wanted to destroy", reported PTI.

Vij said Nuh was becoming a new Jamtara. Jamtara is a district in Jharkhand notorious as India's cyber crime hub.  

"In April, a house-to-house search was conducted with 5,000 police personnel. Many laptops, several thousand SIM cards and ATM cards were found there, on which action was also taken. Now the cyber station that has been attacked, and the way attempts have been made to tamper with the files, has made us launch an investigation into whether cyber thugs attacked the computer systems also of the police station," said Vij, as per PTI.

10. Intelligence lapse being probed 

On a report that there were inputs of violence in Nuh, Vij said "at what level the input was there, who was told about it, all these things will be investigated".

It was a reference to a report by India Today in which Nuh CID Inspector, responsible for gathering intelligence across the district, said that his department had issued formal warnings to local authorities "about potential trouble during the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s 130-km Braj Mandal Yatra passing through Muslim-dominated areas".

"Yes, we were specific (in mentioning) that these people would encounter them (the locals) somewhere during the yatra...that they (the yatra) would pass through, shouting slogans and waving swords. We did share everything with the government almost a week or ten days ago," said Inspector Vishvajeet in India Today's report.

Reacting to the report, Vij said the video has been sent for analysis. 

Vij said an "the video has been sent by him to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, for analysis", reported PTI.

Vij added that it will be investigated if the inspector had any information, then who did he give it to and at what level.

11. Never stopped Monu Manesar's arrest: Vij

Haryana Home Minister also said that the state government has not arrested Rajasthan Police from arresting Monu Manesar.

Manesar is wanted in the murder of two Muslim men from Rajasthan who were found dead in Haryana's Bhiwani earlier this year. Manesar and fellow cow vigilantes are accused in the case. 

When asked about Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's allegation that Haryana Police did not cooperate in the arrest of Manesar, Vij said "Congress chief ministers are known for making irresponsible statements and they talk irresponsibly all over the country", reported PTI.

"They should come and arrest Monu Manesar, we have never stopped anyone … the Haryana Police also goes to the other states to arrest the culprit, everyone cooperates, we will also cooperate," PTI reported Vij as saying, adding that the Home Minister also said all measures are being taken to restore peace in Nuh and nearby districts.