Haryana government lifts internet ban in violence-hit Nuh weeks after communal clashes

Two weeks after communal clashes erupted in Haryana, the authorities restored the internet service in the Nuh area. Violent clashes between two groups here left six people dead and several more injured.

The decision of the Haryana government came a day after some Hindu outfits were not allowed to gather in the Nuh town for the ‘Mahapanchayat’ by the police to uphold the law and order situation in the area. The internet service in the region was halted by the authorities after the uptick in clashes on July 31.

Earlier this month, Haryana government had partially lifted the mobile internet ban for a few hours from Nuh and other violence-hit areas.The rioting had eventually spread to Gurugram, Palwal, Faridabad, and other Haryana districts, killing six people, including two Home Guards and a priest from a mosque, and injuring several more.

The communal tension in the area are thought to have been started by rumours that cow vigilante Monu Manesar would join a religious procession in Nuh. Manesar reportedly uploaded a video on social media in which he urged his followers to turn up in force at the Nuh religious procession.

According to the cow vigilante, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) advised him against attending the event because they thought it would inflame sentiments of a particular community. Police announced the formation of a special investigative team (SIT) to look into Manesar’s involvement in the clashes.

According to the police, over 300 people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The police reported that they had registered more than 100 First Information Reports (FIRs) for inflammatory social media posts. They also stated that they had identified several accounts that uploaded inflammatory information when there was violence.

Last week, educational institutions in Nuh, including schools and universities, reopened. Haryana State Transport’s bus services have also been fully restored.