A mob of far-right Hindu nationalists stormed a mosque in the suburb of the Indian capital, New Delhi, setting it on fire and brutally murdering a deputy imam just hours after violence between Hindus and Muslims broke out in a nearby district.
Imam killed after Hindu mob attacks mosque in India’s Gurugram https://t.co/qesuqqi3zI
— Gilda Morkert (@g_morkert) August 1, 2023
Authorities identified the victim as 19-year-old Maulana Saad, the prayer leader for the Anjuman Jama mosque located in Sector 57 of Gurugram, a metropolis of 1.2 million people and India’s second-largest IT hub.
Three other people were also present, including one badly injured and two unharmed. The mob attacked the Anjuman Jama mosque on August 1st, a day after communal violence broke out in the neighboring district of Nuh in the northern state of Haryana.
“A group of 50 to 60 miscreants resorted to firing and arson at Anjum in the early hours of Tuesday, which led to the death of one person and wounded another,” Nitish Agarwal, a deputy police commissioner, told reporters. “We have arrested a few people, registered an FIR [police report] against them, and have launched an investigation into the incident.”
#Gurugram Sector 57 Masjid has been put on fire and 3 people have been injured and admitted to W Pratiksha Hospital. @DC_Gurugram @gurgaonpolice @cmohry need your immediate help #SOS
I am receiving similar reports from few other Masjid at Sohna. pic.twitter.com/BmrQjGKxgn— Altaf Ahmad (@JoinAltaf) July 31, 2023
Despite these arrests and an investigation being conducted, Gurugram remained tense throughout the day as mobs roamed the streets, setting fire to scrap shops and vandalizing small eateries owned mainly by Muslims.
These incidents of sectarian violence came as far-right Hindu groups, along with the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), campaigned against Islamic Friday prayers in Gurugram. The Anjuman mosque remains one of the few mosques in India officially recognized to hold prayers.
The murder of Maulana Saad and the storming of the Anjuman Jama mosque followed clashes between Hindus and Muslims in the Nuh district, where a curfew was imposed. At least four people, including two police personnel, were killed during the violence. The clashes began when a Hindu religious procession passed through a Muslim-majority region.
“The procession was meant to move from one temple to another, but clashes broke out between two groups on the way, which resulted in the death of four people,” Spokesperson of Nuh police Krishan Kumar said.
Kumar said that two of the dead were members of the Indian home guard, a voluntary force that helps Indian authorities control civil disturbances. Around ten police personnel were also injured in the clashes.
Revenge is required. Otherwise you all will eliminate us right away
First attack against innocent always from Muslims.
Check it out— Vivek Pathak विवेक पाठक (@vpathak) August 1, 2023
Stones were thrown at the police, and several cars were also burned. The Haryana state government requested additional forces to put the situation under control. The police used tear gas and fired shots in the air to disperse the crowd.
Internet services were also banned in the area, and authorities prohibited large gatherings.
“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,” Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister of Haryana, posted on X, previously known as Twitter.
“Our first priority is to bring the situation under control. We are appealing to all to maintain peace. We are also trying to send forces by helicopter,” Haryana’s interior minister, Anil Vij, said.
