US appeals for ‘calm’ in India as six die in religious clashes near national capital

The US has appealed for “calm” in India as religious violence that erupted just 50km away from national capital New Delhi has claimed six lives.

Violence broke out on Monday after a Hindu religious procession passed through the Muslim dominated Nuh region in northern Haryana state, Indian officials said. By the evening, the violence had spilled over onto neighbouring Gurugram city, known as an IT and business hub, where a mosque was torched, that led to the killing of a cleric and injuring another person.

“I would say – with respect to the clashes that obviously we would, as always, urge calm and urge parties to refrain from violent actions,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday during a routine press briefing, as the situation in the region remained tense.

Since the spate of violence, number of Muslim families living in Gurugram, located at the southwestern border of New Delhi, have fled.

“The procession was meant to move from one temple to another but clashes broke out between two groups on the way, which resulted in the death of four people,” Krishan Kumar, a spokesperson of Nuh police, had told Reuters earlier. He said two of the dead were members of the home guard, a voluntary force that helps police control civil disturbances.

While over 100 Muslim families from West Bengal lived in a locality, at least 85 have returned back home, while on 15 still remain, reported NDTV.

Among those caught in the conflict also included a district judge of Nuh and her three-year-old daughter.

They had a narrow escape on Monday after a mob started pelting stones and set their car on fire during the religious procession, forcing judge Anjali Jain and her daughter to run for their lives.

A police complaint was filed against unknown persons in the matter, reported the news channel.

“The rioters were pelting stones at them. Some stones hit the car’s back glass, and the rioters opened fire in the area. All four of us left the car on the road and ran to save our lives. We hid at a workshop of the old bus stand and later some advocates rescued us. On the next day, when I went to check on the car, I found out that the rioters had torched it,” read the preliminary chargesheet, referred to as a first information report (FIR) in India.

The case was registered under various section of India’s criminal code, including rioting and attempt to murder.

Tensions between the two groups began after rumours spread that Monu Maneser, a key accused in the killing of two men Junaid and Nasir in February this year, would attend the attend religious procession.

On 16 February, Junaid and his cousin Nasir were allegedly set on fire by a mob while they were inside their car. A total of nine people, including Manesar were booked in the murder case, while he has denied involvement.

Public order clampdowns had already been issued for the district after five cars were set on fire and some shops damaged on Monday evening, and schools and colleges had been directed to remain closed.

The state government, under prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also suspended internet services in parts of the state till 5 August.

So far, at least 80 people have been injured, while 165 have been arrested, reported The Times of India. Meanwhile, the chief minister of Haryana, BJP’s Manohar Lal Khattar, on Wednesday said it was not possible for police to protect everyone and urged for peace.

“If there is no amity, there is no security. If everybody insists on opposing each other, there is no security. It is not possible for the police, the army or you and I to protect each and every person,” he said.

“A certain environment is needed to ensure security. There has to be amity, good relations... for that we have peace committees... In case there is trouble, then we can take measures. They have done peace marches... go anywhere in the world, the police cannot protect everyone. We have two lakh people, and only 50,000 policemen,” he said.

“Those responsible for the violence will be held accountable for the losses… the police are investigating CCTV footage and phone call records,” he added.

The chief minister also shrugged responsibility over the arrest of Manesar, the man said to be at the heart of the strife, saying the state has no information on him.

“The case against him is filed by the Rajasthan government,” Mr Khattar said, while referring to neighbouring northwestern state ruled by the rival Congress party.

“I have told the Rajasthan government that if they need help to trace him, we are ready to help. Now the Rajasthan Police is searching for him. We don’t have any inputs on his whereabouts. Whether they have or not, how can we say?” he said.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, however, hit out at Mr Khattar saying the Haryana police was not cooperating in the case.

“The Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, gave a statement in the media that he would help the Rajasthan Police in every possible way, but when our police went to arrest the accused of the Nasir-Junaid murder case, the Haryana Police did not cooperate but even registered an FIR against the Rajasthan Police,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in Hindi, while refering to the preliminary chargesheet filed against the state police under him.