Three killed and dozens injured in religious clashes in Haryana

BBC News:

Three people have been killed and dozens injured in religious clashes that broke out during a procession by Hindu nationalist groups in the northern Indian state of Haryana.

Those killed include a Muslim cleric and two “home guards”, who assist the police in controlling riots and public disturbances, police say.

Several policemen are among the injured and have been admitted to hospital.

A curfew has been imposed in Nuh town where the clash took place.

Chief Minister ML Khattar has called the incident “unfortunate” and appealed for peace.

Violence broke out on Monday afternoon during a procession taken out by the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Footage from Nuh showed stone-pelting by a mob as cars were set on fire and shops were vandalised.

More than 2,000 people who were in town to take part in the procession were stranded in a temple as the clashes escalated. They were later evacuated by the police.

The state government suspended internet services in Nuh citing “intense communal tension” and danger to life and property, the Times of India newspaper reported.

The violence, which lasted for several hours, soon spread to the neighbouring areas of Faridabad, Palwal and Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon), on the outskirts of the capital, Delhi. In Gurugram, a mosque was set ablaze by a mob.

The federal government has sent additional security forces to the state following a request from the Haryana government.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, a leader of the opposition Congress party, has blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government for “failing to control the law and order situation”.

Lawmaker from the regional Indian National Lok Dal party Abhay Singh Chautala said the state government had failed to take preventative action despite security concerns.

“For the last two days, there were reports regarding a possible law and order disruption in Nuh,” Mr Chautala told the Indian Express newspaper.

He was referring to a video posted online by Monu Manesar, a member of the Bajrang Dal, saying he would attend the procession in Nuh.

Manesar is a well-known cow vigilante who regularly uploads videos of himself questioning cattle transporters. In recent years, cattle traders – many of them Muslim – have been assaulted by Hindu vigilante groups as the animal is venerated in the religion.

Mr Chautala asked, “When there was already information about his presence in the procession, why didn’t the police take adequate preventive action?”

As he appealed for peace on Monday night, Chief Minister Khattar said “strict action” would be taken against the perpetrators of the violence.

On Tuesday, the state’s home minister said the situation was under control. But schools were shut and internet remained suspended in Faridabad, Palwal and Gurugram.