Nuh SP denies any long-term planning behind violence

Nuh Police Chief denies long-term planning behind riots; says 50 men from Rajasthan came to stay at a hotel in Badkali as part of conspiracy to attack the procession, social media posts added fuel; 393 arrested, 160 FIRs registered; denies Pakistan connection, rumours of missing women.

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.

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.