393 held, 160 FIRs registered; mobile internet suspension in Nuh extended

The Haryana government on Friday extended till Sunday the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Nuh where conditions are "still critical and tense".

A total of 393 people have been arrested and 118 taken into preventive detention in connection with the communal clashes in Haryana earlier this month.

Besides, 160 FIRs have been registered in Nuh, Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Rewari, Panipat, Bhiwani and Hisar, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said in a statement on Friday.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, have died in the clashes that erupted in Nuh over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession and spread to Gurugram.

Opposition parties in Haryana have alleged that the violence in Nuh was the result of the failure of the BJP-JJP dispensation in the state.

The Haryana government on Friday evening extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Nuh district till 11.59 pm of August 13, to prevent disturbance of peace and public order.

The curbs were earlier extended in the district till 11.59 pm on Friday.

According to an order issued by Haryana's Additional Chief Secretary (Home) T V S N Prasad on Friday, "It has been brought to my notice by Deputy Commissioner, Nuh, that the law and order situation has been reviewed and the conditions are still critical and tense in the district".

"After assessment of the prevailing law-and-order situation as well as recommendations of the deputy commissioner, Nuh, I am of the considered view that there is a clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order on account of misuse of internet by way of spread of inflammatory material and false rumours, which are being/could be transmitted or circulated... through social media/messaging services on mobile internet services, SMS services and other dongle services," stated the order.

However, it emphasised that the order is being issued after taking utmost care of public convenience by exempting individual SMS, mobile recharge, banking SMS, voice calls, and internet services provided by broadband and lease lines of corporate and domestic households, thus not affecting the commercial and financial interest of the state and basic domestic needs of individuals.

The suspension of the mobile internet services bulk SMS, excluding banking and mobile recharge and all dongle services provided on mobile networks except voice calls, has been ordered in the jurisdiction of district Nuh, it said.