Six months on, police add UAPA charges in cases connected to Nuh violence

Police have slapped charges under the stringent UAPA against the accused in three cases connected to the murder of two home guards and a Bajrang Dal member and an attack on a cyber police station six months ago.

While the charges were not included in the initial FIRs related to the cases, court documents showed these were added to the challan presented in a court to oppose the bail petition filed by the accused.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the clashes that erupted in Nuh after a procession of the VHP was attacked by mobs on July 31 last year and spread to adjoining areas, including Gurugram.

The imposition of UAPA in three FIRs came to light three days ago when lawyer Tahir Hussain Rupariya, representing some of the accused, filed their bail petitions before the court.

Rupariya said after the bail application was filed, information was received from the court that charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) had been imposed on two of the accused named in three FIRs due to which they did not get bail.

Initially, the FIR in the Nuh violence incident was registered on August 1 based on a complaint filed by a police inspector, who stated that the attack and stone-throwing by the mob had resulted in the death of home guards Neeraj and Gursev.

The accused were then booked under charges of rioting, unlawful assembly, assault or criminal force to deter a public servant, murder and criminal conspiracy among others.

One more FIR was registered at the Nuh Sadar police station on August 1 by a native of Panipat, who accused 10 men of targeting his 22-year-old cousin Abhishek and shooting him dead.

Another FIR pertains to an attack on the cyber police station, whose in-charge alleged that he and eight other police officials were present when a large and agitated mob surrounded the police station and began throwing stones.

The FIR claimed that the mob loudly expressed the intention to "burn them alive".