Mahapanchayat In Gurugram Demands Release Of 4 Accused In Mosque Attack While Demolition Drive Continues In Nuh

Following communal clashes in Haryana's Nuh, a mahapanchayat was held in Tigra village, Gurugram, on Sunday (6 August) to protest against the arrest of four individuals in connection with the mosque case.

The mahapanchayat demanded the release of all the accused involved in the mosque attack and set a seven-day ultimatum for the police to comply.

On 31 July, amidst communal tension in Nuh, a mob set a mosque on fire in Gurugram's sector 57, resulting in the death of the cleric.

The Mahapanchayat further insisted on the removal of the Anjuman mosque in Sector 57, citing its location in a Hindu-dominated area.

A 101-member committee was formed to pursue this issue. The meeting concluded with a warning that if the arrested youths are not released, a "major decision" will be taken.

Furthermore, the outgoing Municipal Corporation of Gurugram's councillor, Mahesh Dayma, announced that the committee would present a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner on Monday, requesting the release of the four youths arrested in connection with the mosque murder case and an impartial inquiry into the matter.

While NDTV reported that the mahapanchayat did not have permission from the police, DLF Gurugram's senior police officer, Vikas Kaushik, mentioned that the organizers of the mahapanchayat assured the police of a peaceful event.

"We have had talks with all sides. They have assured us that the panchayat will happen peacefully... The panchayat starts at 9 am. Some 500-1,000 people are expected to come," Kaushik told ANI.

Meanwhile, authorities have initiated a bulldozer action and demolished some illegal structures, including a hotel from where stones were allegedly thrown at a religious procession. The demolition drive has been ongoing for four days following the communal unrest in the district.

Deputy Commissioner Dhirender Khadgata reported that a total of 162 illegally built permanent structures and 591 makeshift structures were razed, and 57.5 acres of land across 37 sites were cleared of encroachments.

TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale, along with others, raised concerns about the demolition drive, alleging that it targeted a particular community. He has written to Nuh Sub-divisional Magistrate Ashwani Kumar seeking an explanation.