Horror in Haryana: Deadly clashes turn streets into battlefields

Fresh terror engulfed Haryana‘s Gurugram city when a mob of nearly 200 people on motorbikes and SUVs tore through Badshahpur, vandalizing at least a dozen shops and setting fires. This horrifying event on Tuesday came on the heels of an even more terrifying incident, where at least five people, including two police personnel, were killed in clashes between two groups in Nuh district, igniting fear and mayhem across the region.

The mob’s rampage began around 4:00 pm (local time), primarily targeting restaurants, meat shops, and roadside food stalls. At least four shops were set ablaze in Sector 66, causing the closure of Badshahpur market, as fire brigade teams struggled to control the inferno.

While Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav attempted to downplay the situation, describing it as “normal,” he indirectly acknowledged the spill-over impact from the violence in Nuh and stated that the situation was brought under control by evening. Yadav further commented on the focus on Sohna to restore normalcy and that there were a death, five torched vehicles, and 2-3 vandalized shops reported in Gurugram.

As the police arrived on the scene, some rioters managed to escape, but officials assured that some suspects were detained. In a statement, police also denied reports of shanties being set on fire on Kadarpur road.

From Nuh to Badshahpur: A timeline of violence erupting in Haryana. Photo courtesy of Alex McCarthy on Unsplash.

The ripples of violence led to a wide-ranging impact. Officials ordered schools and colleges in Gurugram’s town of Sohna to close, citing “communal tension” and road blockages by “anti-social elements.” The Gurugram District Magistrate’s office went further, announcing the closure of all government and private educational institutions in the Sohna sub-division to “avoid any untoward incident.”

In an unprecedented move, Gurugram officials also ceased the sale of loose petrol and diesel with “immediate effect,” citing ongoing communal tensions, as Yadav announced on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The chaos began with the clashes in Haryana’s Nuh, around 50 kilometers away from Delhi, after a religious procession by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) was stopped by a group of young men, leading to stone-pelting. The violence escalated into a full-blown conflict with over 2,500 people seeking refuge in a temple, a mosque being set on fire, and hundreds of vehicles torched.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar condemned the incidents and promised to take strict action. Officials reported that 44 FIRs were registered, and more than 70 people have been arrested as of Tuesday.

The horrifying events in Gurugram and Nuh have sent shockwaves through Haryana, exposing communal fault lines and leaving residents in fear and uncertainty. The turmoil raises urgent questions about community relations, law enforcement, and the governance of communal tensions in the region.