Braj Mandal Yatra on Monday, 22 July: The Haryana government has ordered the suspension of mobile internet, bulk SMS services in Nuh for 24 hours beginning 6 pm on Sunday. The directive comes ahead of the Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra that was marred by violence last year.
The internet service in the district will remain suspended from 6 pm Sunday to 6 pm Monday, according to an order by Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Anurag Rastogi.
“… there is an apprehension of causing tension, annoyance, agitation, damage of public and private property and disturbance of public peace and tranquility in the district Nuh..,” the order read.
The suspension order was given “to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours” through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Meanwhile, the Nuh Police said tight security arrangements have been made to ensure that the Yatra passes off smoothly.
Haryana Nuh Violence 2023
The 2023 Haryana riots, also known as the Nuh violence were a series of clashes in northern India that originated in the state of Haryana and have subsequently spread to nearby regions.
On 31 July 2023, communal violence erupted in the Nuh district of Haryana between Muslims and Hindus during an annual Brajmandal Yatra pilgrimage organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Two home guards were killed and at least 15 others, including several policemen, injured on July 31 last year as a mob in Haryana’s Nuh district tried to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession, pelting stones and setting cars on fire.
By the evening of the same day, fresh incidents of communal violence were reported from Gurugram and Sohna. The same night, a mob attacked a mosque in Gurugram and killed its naib imam. At least five people were killed and scores injured in the immediate aftermath of the interfaith clash.
As of 3 August 2023, the situation had resulted in at least seven fatalities and over 200 reported injuries.