CHANDIGARH: Motorcycle-borne assailants hurled Molotov cocktails at two mosques in the riot-torn Nuh district of Haryana late on Wednesday night despite heightened security, indicating the situation there is still volatile.
Communal riots broke out in Nuh and Gurugram on Monday when a VHP yatra was attacked. To tamp down the communal heat, Muslims in Nuh and Gurugram have been advised by ulemas not to offer their Friday namaz at any public place or mosque. The initiative to seek the cooperation of the ulemas came from Deputy Commissioner Prashant Panwar and Superintendent of Police Varun Singla.
Sources said one of the mosques attacked on Wednesday night is near a police station. Both mosques suffered some damage. However, no one was injured in the attacks that took place around 11.30 pm. A senior police officer said they are trying to identify the assailants through CCTV cameras in the vicinity.
Singla said, “Light arson has been done in one mosque while a short circuit seems to be the reason for the fire in the other. The police are conducting raids to nab the suspects.’’ So far, 93 FIRs have been registered — 46 in Nuh, 23 in Gurugram, three in Faridabad, three in Rewari, and 18 in Palwal — and 176 people arrested. “Provocative or false information should not be spread on social media.
Those found responsible for the clashes will not be spared,” Additional Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad said. A mob stormed a cyber crime police station in Nuh on Monday during the riots. “It could be a major attack on the security of the country. It will be thoroughly investigated,” Prasad added. The curfew imposed in Nuh was relaxed for three hours during the day. Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Palwal as well.