Haryana clash: 393 held, ban of internet, SMS service 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.

Nuh Superintendent of Police Narender Bijarnia said that so far 59 FIRs have been registered in the district in connection with the Braj Mandal violence case and 218 people arrested.

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.

Meanwhile, the Gurugram administration allowed the opening of all schools and educational institutes in the district from Friday. It also decided to relax the curfew in the district for 11 hours on Saturday.

There will be relaxation on movement of people from 7 am to 6 pm as against 7 am to 3 pm now, an official said.

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".

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.