- Haryana’s Nuh is on edge after communal clashes broke out, killing three people.
- Authorities said the violence broke out owing to rumours that Bajrang Dal’s Monu Manesar would be part of the procession.
- Monu Manesar, whose real name is Mohit Yadav, describes himself as a ‘Gau Rakshak’ and a social activist.
- He grabbed headlines across the country in February when he was named as the prime accused in the abduction and murder of two Muslim men.
- He’s also been named in another police complaint in Haryana’s Nuh in connection with a murder case of 22-year-old Waris Khan.
- Manesar told a news agency on Monday that he didn’t participate in the rally on the advice of the VHP, fearing his presence would create tensions.
As per the police, on Monday, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) was taking out a procession – Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra – in Nuh when an angry mob attacked it and started pelting stones at the people in the march.
The clash also witnessed gun violence in which three people, including two Home Guards, were killed. Gurugram Police Commissioner told the media that two Home Guards, attached to her district, were killed in the violence in adjoining Nuh. About 10 police personnel were injured in Nuh violence, the official said.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has urged for peace and calm in the state after communal violence broke out on Monday in Nuh district, resulting in the death of three people, several others being injured, and public property being destroyed.
In the wake of the violence, all schools and colleges in Gurugram and Faridabad have been ordered to remain closed on Tuesday, 1 August. Moreover, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been imposed in Gurugram and Nuh.
What was the reason behind the violence? Who is Monu Manesar who has been linked to the clashes? What role did he play? We dig deeper and get you all the answers.
According to the authorities, the trigger behind the violence was a rumour that Bajrang Dal member and cow vigilante Monu Manesar would also be a part of the procession.
For the unknown, Monu Manesar, whose real name is Mohit Yadav, describes himself as a ‘Gau Rakshak’ and social activist. He joined Bajrang Dal as a district co-coordinator from Manesar in 2011 and earns a living by sub-letting rooms to labourers in the Manesar area.
Earlier in February, speaking to Indian Express, he had said: “I grew up around cows. It is a matter of faith for me and it is my duty to protect the holy cow. After witnessing atrocities against cows, I vowed to rescue them and to stop illegal cattle smuggling, which is rampant in places like Mewat (Nuh) and nearby districts.”
In the same month, he was also made the head of the district’s cow protection force and also a member of the civil defence team of the district administration in Manesar. In addition to this, he also runs a YouTube page ‘Monu Manesar Bajrang Dal’, which has over two lakh subscribers.
He grabbed headlines across the country in February when he was named as the prime accused in the abduction and murder of two Muslim men – Junaid and Nasir – whose remains were found inside a charred vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district. Manesar has refuted the claims, saying the allegations against him were baseless.
He’s also been named in another police complaint in Haryana’s Nuh in connection with a murder case of 22-year-old Waris Khan. Prior to this, in November 2021, according to a report, Manesar had issued violent threats against Muslims in the form of slogans.
While Manesar maintains that his vigilantism has never amounted to violence, several social media photos and news reports show otherwise. Early pictures of his vigilantism on social media show members of his group grabbing the accused person’s hair. There are also other images of purported cow smugglers having swollen and bloody faces.
Manesar told a news agency on Monday that he didn’t participate in the rally on the advice of the VHP, fearing his presence would create tensions.
While the police maintain that the situation has been brought under control for now, the Haryana administration has sought 20 companies of the Rapid Action Force from the Centre for a week to maintain the law-and-order situation in Nuh district.
Moreover, internet services have been suspended in the area in order to quell the spread of misinformation. News18 has also reported that a peace committee meeting has been called by the administration at 11.30 am.
(With inputs from agencies)
