Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday appealed to people to maintain peace after a clash erupted between two groups when stones were pelted during a religious procession in the Nuh area near Gurugram. Earlier in the day, Vishva Hindu Parishad's Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra was stopped by a group of young men near Khedla Mod and stones were thrown at the procession, the police said, as per news agency PTI. People in the procession allegedly hurled stones back at the youths who had stopped them.


"Today's incident is unfortunate, I appeal to all the people to maintain peace in the state. The guilty will not be spared at any cost, strictest action will be taken against them," the Chief Minister tweeted.






Earlier, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said that adequate force is being deployed at the spot. "We've also spoken to the Centre, three companies will be sent to rescue people. Internet services will be suspended so that people don't spread rumours. We are trying to restore peace at the earlier. I appeal to everyone to restore peace," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.


All those who are stranded in different areas of Mewat region are being rescued, he added.



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Police lobbed teargas shells to disperse crowds and called for reinforcements from other areas as the two sides pelted stones at each other, PTI reported. 


At least four cars that were part of the procession were set on fire. Some police vehicles were also damaged, as per the report.


NDTV reported that around 2,500 men, women, and children took shelter at the Nulhar Mahadev temple as the violence erupted. 


Mobile internet and SMS services have been suspended till August 2 (Wednesday) to contain the intense communal tension, the Haryana government stated.


The yatra was flagged off from Gurugram’s Civil Lines by BJP district president Gargi Kakkar earlier and a police contingent was deployed with the procession.


As per PTI, it was claimed that the trigger for the clash was an objectionable video posted on social media by a Bajrang Dal activist in Ballabhgarh. It cited reports stating that Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante wanted in the murder of two Muslim men in Rajasthan, was supposed to join the procession. 


“The situation in the area is stable," Nuh SHO Hukam Singh said later, as quoted by the agency.


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