No mastermind behind Nuh violence so far, culprits being identified, arrested: Nuh SP

Gurugram: A senior police officer on Friday said that the investigation has so far revealed that there was no mastermind behind the clashes in the Nuh district, which was the doing of several disparate groups.

The officer's remarks in effect contradicted the state home minister's conjecture, according to which the violence was engineered and had a mastermind behind it.

"Somebody masterminded it but I don't want to reach any conclusions. We will investigate this and every single person responsible will be brought to justice," Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had said on Tuesday, hours after the violence was first reported from Nuh.

Nuh SP Narendra Singh Bijarnia on Friday said police are already identifying and arresting people involved in the clashes.

The Superintendent of Police was addressing a press conference at the Nuh-based Camp Office (DC residence), which was also attended by Deputy Commissioner Prashant Panwar.

"No mischievous elements will be spared. Encroachment reports of buildings from where stones were pelted are also being prepared. Action will be taken against them according to rules," Bijarnia said.

The SP also said that a case has been registered against Goraksha Bajrang Force President Bittu Bajrangi in Faridabad in connection with the Monday clashes.

Bajrangi alias Raj Kumar, 45, is a fruit and vegetables trader at the Gazipur market and Dabua maket in Faridabad.

According to sources, Bajrangi, a Bajrang Dal member, has been running his cow vigilante group for the last three years.

In the last one month alone, he has been booked in three cases of inciting religious sentiments.

Nuh Deputy Commissioner Prashant Pawar said normal life was returning on back on track in the district.

No violence incident has been reported from anywhere in Nuh district for the last four days, he said.

"As part of the process of restoring peace in the area, the district administration has held meetings with the peace committees of different areas of the district. Members of the committee have fully assured that they will not allow any kind of tension to arise in the area.

"As situation is now returning to normal, resumption of internet services is also being considered. Soon a positive decision will be taken on the basis of the intelligence report," Panwar said.

He also said the Haryana government has started a compensation portal to make up for losses suffered by people in looting and arson in the violence that went on for at least two days.

He said a strict vigil is being kept on the social media to prevent spread of fake news, rumour or inciting speech etc.  

Over 200 arrested, 102 FIRs lodged: Minister Anil Vij 

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Friday said 202 people have been arrested so far and 80 taken into preventive detention in connection with the communal clashes in Nuh.

He also said the way bullets were fired from hillocks and stones collected on rooftops of buildings indicates that Nuh violence was pre-planned.

In all, police have so far filed 102 FIRs in the matter.

"I want to assure you that anyone involved in the violence won't be spared," Vij told reporters in Ambala, adding, the detainees are being questioned.

"It is a big game plan every person had a lathi in his hand. Were these being distributed for free? Someone must have arranged these. Bullets were being fired. From where did weapons come ? We will go to the depth of the matter," he said.

The minister had earlier on Tuesday too said the violence was engineered and had a mastermind behind it.

Meanwhile, when the minister was asked if the administration will resort to bulldozing the properties of the culprits, he quipped "bulldozer, wherever necessary, will be used."

"Ilaj mein bulldozer bhi ek karavayi hai (bulldozer is part of the treatment)," he said.

Haryana authorities have used bulldozers in the past to raze structures of alleged criminals in Nuh and other parts.

On a cybercrime police station being targeted in Nuh, Vij said, "We have taken the incident very seriously."

Investigations are underway to find out who attacked the police station and what records they wanted to destroy, he said.

He said Nuh was becoming a new Jamtara -- the Jharkhand district notorious as India's cyber crime hub.

A massive crackdown was launched earlier this year against cyber criminals and several people were arrested for defrauding people across India.

"In April a house-to-house search was conducted with 5,000 police personnel. Many laptops, several thousand SIM cards and ATM cards were found there, on which action was also taken.

"Now the cyber station that has been attacked, and the way attempts have been made to tamper with the files, has made us launch an investigation into whether cyber thugs attacked the computer systems also of the police station," said Vij.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the clashes that erupted in Muslim-dominated Nuh when a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was attacked by mobs on Monday.

Vij said police were recording people's statements and scanning CCTV footage.

He also urged the journalists who have been to Nuh to cover the clashes since Monday to provide videos and feeds to the authorities to help them investigate the clashes.

Vij made the same request to people who were part of the procession where the violence first broke out.

Asked if the authorities had received intelligence about potential trouble during the VHP Yatra, as purportedly showed in TV channel sting, Vij said "at what level the input was there, who was told about it, all these things will be investigated."

Vij said an Inspector is heard saying something during a TV sting and the video has been sent by him to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, for analysis.

If that inspector had any information, then who did he give it to and at what level, this all will be investigated, he said.

When asked about Ashok Gehlot's allegation that Haryana Police did not cooperate in the arrest of Monu Manesar a cow vigilante who is wanted in a case by Rajasthan Police Vij said "Congress chief ministers are known for making irresponsible statements and they talk irresponsibly all over the country."

"They should come and arrest Monu Manesar, we have never stopped anyone the Haryana Police also goes to the other states to arrest the culprit, everyone cooperates, we will also cooperate," he said.

The Home Minister said all measures are being taken to restore peace in Nuh and nearby districts.

Referring to the Friday namaz, the minister said he has spoken to deputy commissioners of Nuh, Faridabad, and Gurugram, and instructed them to make adequate security arrangements

(With PTI inputs)