Nuh Police Chief, On Leave During Violence That killed 6, Transferred

The police chief of Haryana's Nuh, where communal clashes broke out on Monday during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad rally, has been transferred to the state's Bhiwani district, around 160 km away. IPS officer Narendra Bijarniya, who was acting Superintendent of Police since the violence started, and earlier headed the police force in Nuh district from February 2020 to October 2021, has replaced Varun Singla, who was on leave when the clashes broke out.

Narendra Bijarniya was rushed from Bhiwani to Nuh at the start of the clashes in Mr Singla's absence, and permanent orders have now been issued for his appointment as SP amid "intense communal tension" in the area.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, have died in the clashes that erupted in Nuh over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession and spread to Gurugram over the past few days. Several vehicles, food joints, and shops were set on fire by unruly mobs.

Speaking to NDTV on Tuesday, Mr Bijarniya blamed rumours spread by trouble-makers for the violence.

"Mewat is known for its composite culture and brotherhood. This violence has been instigated by some people through social media. A grand religious procession used to go through ancient temples here, this is the first time it has seen violence. Some troublemakers caused it through social media posts," Narendra Bijarniya said.

On how the police were caught off-guard even when social media was abuzz with provocative videos about Bajrang Dal leader Monu Manesar, wanted over his alleged role in the killing of two Muslim men earlier this year, attending the religious procession along with his supporters, Mr Bijarniya had said they never imagined such large scale violence could happen there.

"We have been monitoring social media, and the district police had made arrangements accordingly. We never imagine such large scale violence could happen. There have been shortcomings, no doubt, that's why the violence happened. Top officials are investigating it now to ensure this doesn't happen anywhere again," he said, adding that according to their records, Monu Manesar didn't visit Nuh, and the violence started due to rumours on social media about it. 

Clashes broke out between two groups in Haryana's Muslim-dominated Nuh district on July 31 during Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra.

The Haryana government on Wednesday sought four more companies of central forces as arson and vandalism continued in Gurugram and a Bajrang Dal activist died in hospital.

Five godowns were set ablaze, and two meat shops ransacked in Gurugram district late Tuesday night by mobs, which officials say mostly disperse before the police arrive.

On Wednesday, two 'jhuggis' were torched and a tea shop vandalised. In another slum, some huts were ransacked.

Apart from the state police, 20 companies of central forces are deployed in Haryana -- 14 in Nuh, three in Palwal, two in Gurugram and one in Faridabad.

176 people have been arrested and over 90 detained in the state so far. Forty-one cases were registered.

Earlier, the government had ordered the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Nuh district from 4 pm on Monday and later imposed the restrictions in some other parts too till August 2 in view of the "intense communal tension" and disturbance of public peace. The order was later extended till August 5.

Internet will be restored again today from 12 pm to 3 pm for people to buy essentials, officials said.

The police have filed seven First Information Reports, or FIRs, for incendiary social media posts. 2,300 videos are being examined, they said. Three accounts have been identified which posted inflammatory content on the day of the clashes, police said.

Prohibitory orders remain in force in Nuh, Gurugram and other affected districts.