In a tragic incident on Monday, at least five people, including two police personnel, lost their lives during clashes between Hindus and Muslims in Haryana, an Indian state bordering the capital, New Delhi. The confrontation was sparked when a Hindu religious procession passed through the Muslim-dominated Nuh region, located approximately 50 kilometers away from New Delhi.
According to Krishan Kumar, the spokesperson of Nuh police, the procession, originally intended to move from one temple to another, turned violent as clashes erupted between the two groups along the way, leading to four fatalities. Among the deceased were two members of the home guard, a voluntary force that assists the police in controlling civil disturbances. Additionally, ten police personnel sustained injuries during the confrontations.
The situation worsened as the violence spilled over into neighboring Gurugram by Monday night. In an unfortunate incident, a mosque was torched around midnight, resulting in one fatality and another person getting injured. Gurugram, previously known as Gurgaon, is a prominent business hub in India and hosts numerous multinational companies. Prohibitory orders were already in place for the district following the burning of several cars on Monday evening, with authorities also ordering the closure of schools and colleges on Tuesday.
In response to the mosque attack, Gurgaon Police issued a statement assuring that the attackers had been identified and many of them had been apprehended. They also tightened security around places of worship to prevent further incidents.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to condemn the violence in Nuh. Curfew orders were imposed in the affected area, and internet access was restricted as a measure to maintain law and order.
CM Khattar pledged to take stringent action against those responsible, assuring that the guilty would not escape justice. However, the incident has left the region grappling with grief and unrest as authorities work to restore calm and investigate the root causes of the clashes.