NEW DELHI: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking an investigation by India’s anti-terror agency into “targeted communal violence against the Hindu community” in Haryana’s Nuh on July 31.
Filed by journalist Pradeep Bhandari and writer Ratan Sharda, the petition prayed that the investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) should be monitored by the apex court.
Communal violence broke out following stone pelting on a Hindu religious procession and an attack on a temple – the originating place of the rally – in Nalhar area of Nuh district. The violence quickly gripped neighbouring districts of Gurugram, Palwal, and Faridabad.
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“The series of incidents not only violated freedom of speech and expression (Article 19) and right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the victims but are also shameful,” reads the petition.
It also seeks the court’s direction to transfer the cases of violence outside Nuh, audit of houses torched by rioters, and compensation of ₹1 crore to the victims.
₹20 lakhs should be given to the families who lost their members in the communal riots, it submitted before the court. The plea also requested the Supreme Court to issue detailed guidelines for religious processions and festivals in order to avoid such events in future across the country.
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As many as six people, including two policemen, were killed in clashes in Nuh and Gurugram districts. At least two mosques were set on fire by angry mobs, killing an imam and dozens of shops belonging to Muslims were vandalised in Gurugram. Curfew was imposed and internet services remained suspended for several days to prevent fake news and rumours.
Haryana Police have registered more than 140 FIRs and arrested 312 people for their involvement in the riots. The state BJP government has transferred several high-ranking officers for their failure to prevent the violence.