Mob kills cleric in gurugram, Haryana violence toll now 5
Gurugram/Chandigarh, Aug 1: Mobs killed a cleric in a late night attack on a mosque, torched an eatery and vandalised shops as communal violence that began in Haryana's Nuh spilled over into Gurugram, taking the death toll to five, police said on Tuesday.
A mob set fire to an under-construction mosque in Gurugram's sector 57 and shot dead the naib imam past Monday midnight. And two more men succumbed to their injuries after the previous day's Nuh attack, which has claimed four lives.
Over 50 people, including 10 policemen, were injured in Mod in Nuh, a police officer said. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called the attack a part of a larger conspiracy, while the Vishva Hindu Parishad demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency.
Authorities clamped a curfew Tuesday morning in Nuh district. Security forces held flag marches in adjoining districts as well and several peace committee meetings were organised.
Hours after mobs targeted a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession opening fire, pelting stones and torching cars at Khedla Mod in Nuh, rioters burnt vehicles and shops in Gurugram's Sohna town. No casualties were reported there as police dispersed the Sohna mob by 9 pm Monday.
But past midnight, another group set fire to the under-construction Anjuman Masjid. The 26-year-old naib imam, Saad, and another man were injured as the mob opened fire. The imam, a native of Bihar, died in hospital, an official said.
Five people were rounded up in connection with the attack on the mosque.
On Tuesday afternoon, a mob shouting Jai Shri Ram slogans set fire to a roadside eatery in Gurugram's Badshahpur. A couple of shops in the market nearby were also vandalised, police said.
The fire brigade doused the flames. When police reached the spot, the rioters said to be around 70 fled on their motorcycles and other vehicles, officials said.
Traders downed shutters along the 20-km Badshahpur-Sohna road, protesting over the Nuh violence.
In many housing complex in Gurugram, adjacent to the national capital, people were on edge.
There were also unconfirmed reports that Muslim residents in some parts of the district were leaving their homes, at least temporarily.
But the administration denied this, and appealed to people not to spread rumours. Gurugram authorities also announced that schools and educational institutions ordered closed on Tuesday will reopen Wednesday, except for those in Sohna.
In the Sohna violence on Monday, five vehicles and three shops were damaged, according to the administration.
Haryana CM Khattar, who took a review meeting, said the Nuh violence appeared to be part of a "big conspiracy". He warned of strict action against the culprits."No rioter will be spared," he said.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij also claimed the violence was "engineered".
"Somebody masterminded it but I don't want to reach any conclusions. We will investigate this and every single person responsible will be brought to justice," he said.
In Delhi, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain claimed that the Nuh attack was carried out against Hindu devotees "in a pre-planned manner" during a religious procession and was "incited" by some Congress leaders from Haryana.
He also alleged intelligence failure by the state government, and also called for an NIA investigation.
CM Khattar said 16 paramilitary and 30 Haryana Police companies are deployed in Nuh, where 44 FIRs were registered and 70 people taken into custody.
At least 120 vehicles were damaged during the violence in the district. Of these, 50, including eight belonging to police, were set ablaze as mobs tried to stop the VHP's Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra to some temples in the district, officials said.
Security has been tightened at temples and mosques following the Nuh violence and the attack on the Gurugram mosque, an official said.
On Monday, Mobile internet services were suspended in Nuh and Faridabad up to Wednesday. Prohibitory orders were clamped in the adjoining districts.
Educational institutes were ordered to remain shut on Tuesday in Gurugram, Faridabad and Palwal districts as a precautionary measure.
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Tribal man brings dead sister's skeleton to bank to withdraw money from her account
Keonjhar (PTI): A tribal man in Odisha's Keonjhar district on Monday brought the skeleton of his dead sister to a bank to withdraw the money deposited in her name, police said.
The incident occurred at Maliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank located at Patana block of Keonjhar district. The man was identified as Jeetu Munda (50) of Dianali village. He was seeking to withdraw Rs 20,000 from the bank account of his elder sister, Kalra Munda (56), who died on January 26, 2026.
"I have run several times to the bank, and the people there told me to bring the account holder to withdraw money deposited in her name. Though I told them that she had died, they did not listen to me and insisted on bringing her to the bank. Therefore, out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought out her skeleton as proof of her death," an illiterate Jeetu Munda told reporters.
Patana Police Station Inspector in charge (IIC) Kiran Prasad Sahu, who reached the bank after getting information, said, "Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man. He does not know what the legal heir or nominee is. The bank officials have failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from the dead person's account."
However, after the incident, the police assured Jeetu Munda that they would facilitate the withdrawal of money from the bank account of his dead sister. Later, the skeleton was again buried at the graveyard in presence of police.
Meanwhile, local Block Development Officer (BDO) Manas Dandpat said that he was not approached by anyone for the legal heir of late Kalra Munda. "Today only, I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue," the BDO said.
Meanwhile, bank sources said that the nominee in Kalra Munda's bank account was also dead. Therefore, Jeetu Munda was the lone claimant over the money deposited in her name.
The local administration has directed the bank officers to make arrangements and ensure that Jeetu Munda, who is the only claimant as per the rules, gets the money as soon as possible.
