Haryana’s Nuh hotel from where ‘hooligans pelted stones’ on religious procession demolished

A hotel-cum-restaurant in Haryana’s Nuh from where hooligans allegedly pelted stones on a religious procession during the recent violence was demolished by the district administration on Sunday, news agency ANI reported. The building was reportedly “illegally” constructed.

The massive demolition drive against “illegal” constructions in Nuh has become the latest bone contention between two communities. On Saturday, Haryana authorities razed dozens of illegal structures on the third day of the demolition drive in the violence-hit Nuh district, with officials saying some of them were owned by those allegedly involved in the recent clashes.

Haryana home minister Anil Vij has claimed that there was a “big game plan” behind the Nuh communal violence. Vij, however, said the Haryana government will not rush to an early conclusion without a thorough investigation into the violence that erupted between two groups during a religious procession on Monday. Vij said internet services will be restored after the situation improves.

“People climbed hills next to the temples, had lathis in their hands and gathered at entry points, all this is not possible without a proper plan. Bullets were fire, Someone must have arranged these. Bullets were being fired. From where did weapons come …? All this is part of a plan,” Vij told reporters on Friday.

“We are getting information that firing incidents were pre-planned…stones were collected on the roofs and people went to the hills and opened fire. We are collecting information and taking action against the people responsible,” the Haryana home minister claimed.

The number of people arrested has gone up to 216, while 80 people have been taken into preventive detention and 104 FIRs registered so far in connection with the communal violence that erupted when a religious procession was attacked in Nuh district by mobs on July 31, according to Haryana home minister Anil Vij.

While the opposition pressed for a probe into alleged intelligence failure, Vij said he did not have information about any intelligence input on a possible build-up of tension.

The district administration on Saturday bulldozed illegal constructions at 12 different places on Saturday including on 2.6 acres of land around Nalhar Medical College.

“These were illegal constructions. Notices were already given to owners of the demolished structures. The owners of some illegal structures were also involved in the violence during the Braj Mandal religious yatra. The demolition drive will continue,” sub-divisional magistrate Ashwani Kumar said.

Khadgata, the newly appointed deputy commissioner of Nuh, said such places have been listed by various departments for action over illegal construction and anti-social activities.

In the wake of the exodus of migrant workers from Gurugram after the violence, district officials visited a few slum areas and urged the people there to go for their daily work without any fear.

Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav interacted with people near Sector 58 and 70 here as part of the ongoing exercise to build confidence among common people about their safety, along with maintaining law and order.

“The situation here is peaceful now and there is no need to panic,” Yadav said.

Teams of Rapid Action Force have been deployed at various places in the district and the Haryana police are trying to arrest all persons involved in anti-social activities, he said.

Meanwhile, a case was registered after a cleric lodged a complaint of stone pelting at the gate of a mosque in Haryana’s Rohtak district at around 10:30pm on Friday.

Following the complaint of ‘maulvi’ Iqbal, Rohtak Additional Superintendent of Police Medha Bhushan along with the police force reached the site on Friday night.

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chauatala said that media and social media were being monitored and those found involved in inciting violence would face strict action.