Haryana administration demolishes hotel from where stones were thrown at Nuh religious procession

Nuh district administration has brought in bulldozers to raze Sahara Hotel on the fourth day of the demolition drive.

Officials believe that the violence in Nuh began last Monday after some people pelted stones at a religious procession from the roof of the Sahara Hotel.

As a mob attacked the procession with stones, the 2,500-plus participants rushed into a temple to take shelter.

The clashes resulted in six deaths, including two home guards and a cleric, when a mob attempted to halt a VHP procession on July 31.

Reports of arson and vandalism also emerged from Gurugram where unrest spread fast following the incident.

At least two dozen medical stores and shops were demolished in Nuh on Saturday.

On Thursday evening, the administration demolished makeshift dwellings of migrant residents in Tauru, situated some 20 km from the violence-affected Nuh region, on grounds of illegal occupation of government land, NDTV reported.

Around 50 to 60 structures across various locations have been demolished up to this point.

Reports indicate that the district administration ordered the removal of all unauthorised encroachments that had remained in place for many years.

However, local legislator and Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Aftab Ahmed slammed the move, calling it “a betrayal to the poor people” and “an attempt to cover up administrative failures”.

"In Nuh, it is not only the houses of the poor that are being demolished, but the faith and trust of the common people is being destroyed as well. Villagers have said that houses and shops were demolished today, by giving notice in back date of one month. Government is taking wrong action to hide administrative failures, this is repressive policy," he tweeted along with a video of the demolition.

Haryana's Home Minister, Anil Vij, stated on Friday that 202 accused have been arrested, and 80 suspects have been placed in preventive detention in relation to the communal clashes.

He also remarked that the firing of bullets from elevated areas and the collection of stones on building rooftops suggest that the violence in Nuh was premeditated.

So far, the police have filed 102 First Information Reports (FIRs) in connection with the incidents.

Vij has asserted the existence of a "big game plan" behind the violence.

However, during a press conference on Friday, Nuh Superintendent of Police Narendra Singh Bijarnia stated that they haven't found the presence of a mastermind behind the clashes.

The ongoing investigation indicates the participation of various unrelated elements, which are currently being identified and apprehended.