11 held after mob attacks meat shop in Bhiwadi amid communal violence in Haryana

Nine people have been arrested and two juveniles apprehended for allegedly being part of a mob that attacked a meat shop in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi late on Tuesday amid communal violence in neighbouring Haryana. The violence began in Haryana’s Nuh district on Monday and spread to parts of Gurugram on Tuesday as mobs set fire to and vandalised dozens of establishments.

Bhiwadi police superintendent Vikas Sharma said around 25 youths carrying rods and chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ attacked the meat shop. “When they started damaging the shop, the shopowner fled the spot to save his life. ...police immediately reached the spot. But the goons escaped once we reached. Based on the videos recorded by the locals, we identified them.”

Police said they have been unable to contact the shop owner yet but a case was filed against the attackers under Indian Penal Code’s Sections 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), and 149 (unlawful assembly).

Assistant police superintendent Sujeet Shankar said the youths were not from any particular Hindu organisations. “They were some local youths incited by the riot that erupted in Haryana and gathered only to vandalise the shop out of revenge. We are in the process of arresting more people. Further investigation is underway.”

Police said they have deployed additional forces in the area to maintain the peace and asked the local people to immediately report any possible inciteful event.

The shop was attacked as security forces fanned across neighbouring Nuh, Palwal, Gurugram, and Faridabad districts to prevent further outbreaks of violence.

A cleric was killed when a mosque was attacked in Gurugram’s Sector 57, taking the toll in the clashes to five. Mobile internet services were suspended in Nuh, Manesar, and Pataudi. Prohibitory orders were under effect in Faridabad, Palwal, and Gurugram districts.

Bajrang Dal member and cow vigilante Monu Manesar, who has been on the run after his alleged involvement in the killing of two Muslim cattle traders in February, earlier posted videos claiming he would be at an annual religious procession in Nuh.

Clashes first erupted on Monday when Hindu and Muslim groups clashed during Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Shobha Yatra in Nuh, around 50km from Gurugram. Two home guards were killed and over 200 people were injured in the violence that followed.

A police officer said the trigger for the violence was videos suggesting that Manesar would also be a part of the procession. But he did not turn up.