Nuh Hotel From Where Stones Were Thrown At Religious Procession Demolished

A massive demolition drive against “illegal” constructions in Haryana’s Nuh has become the latest flashpoint between two communities in the violence-hit state.

Nuh district administration has brought in bulldozers to raze Sahara Hotel, the fourth day of the demolition drive.

Officials believe that the violence in Nuh began on Monday after some people pelted stones at a religious procession from the roof of the Sahara Hotel. As a mob attacked the procession with stones, the 2,500-plus participants rushed into a temple to take shelter.

Nearly a dozen shops, including medical stores, had been razed on Saturday. Shanties of migrants living in Tauru, about 20 km away from violence-hit Nuh, had been razed earlier this week for encroaching on government land.

Officials say that some of the shops and homes being demolished were owned by those involved in the recent clashes.

50 to 60 structures in different areas have been demolished so far. Many have fled, fearing arrests.

Bulldozer action has been held at different places in Nuh for three days, and sources claim that authorities are targeting illegal encroachments which could not be removed for the last several years.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the communal clashes that erupted in Nuh when a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was attacked by mobs on Monday. The violence escalated as the evening progressed — a mosque was torched post-midnight, more than a hundred vehicles were torched and vandalised as mobs went on rampage in Nuh and neighbouring Gurugram.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has alleged “a big game plan” behind the violence, but also rejected opposition claims into alleged intelligence failure. However, Nuh Superintendent of Police says they have so far found no indication of a mastermind behind the clashes.

So far 106 first information reports (FIRs) have been filed and over 216 people have been arrested; 24 FIRs are against social media posts and four people have been arrested for content that possibly led to violence.