Ten Faridabad police personnel were injured, allegedly when a group of men threw stones at them in Haryana’s Ballabhgarh on Sunday. The cops were trying to get the men to vacate a stretch of the Delhi-Agra national highway, that the men had blocked to protest Nikita Tomar’s murder.
The incident took place while a “Mahapanchayat” was being held in nearby Dussehra grounds in Ballabgarh. This meeting was organised by a group called the Sarv Biradari Sangathan. According to a report in The Print, representatives of 36 Biradaris or communities took part in the Mahapanchayat that was held to seek justice in the Nikita Tomar murder case. The Mahapanchayat was attended by hundreds of people who demanded capital punishment for the accused.
According to a report, police had to resort to using “mild force to disperse the group” and clear the highway. 30 people have reportedly been detained following the clash, where over 200 demonstrators allegedly pelted stones at shops and tried to block the New Delhi-Agra Highway during the panchayat.
The police have launched a probe into the incident, and are investigating the motive behind the violence as well as identifying who were behind the demonstrators. According to a news report Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Kranti Dal national in-charge Rajiv Mittal, who was present at the meeting, some “over-enthusiastic” men became aggressive over the turn of events at the panchayat. He added that it was the responsibility of the police to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ballabgarh, Sumer Singh Yadav told the media that such anarchy is not to be tolerated and the police will deal strictly with those trying to disrupt the law and order situation in the district. He added that action would be initiated against those holding demonstrations without permission, stated news reports. After some of the men participating in the event turned aggressive and resorted to stone pelting and vandalism on the Mathura highway, injuring policemen, more forces including paramilitary forces, were deployed in the area.
Now, the community leaders have decided to reassemble on November 8 to “pay tributes to the deceased and decide the future course of action.” According to news reports, Virender Gaur, head of the coordination committee of ‘Justice for Nikita’ campaign has said “we want capital punishment against culprits… we also want a law to be passed to control love Jihad incidents.”
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and Home Minister Anil Vij have already said the state government will examine the alleged ‘love jihad’ angle in the murder. Khattar had also said that the trial against the accused will be held in a fast-track court. “The victim’s family is satisfied with the Haryana government’s action. Culprits were nabbed within two hours of the incident and one who helped them was also arrested. Fast track court would be established in this case for giving strict punishment to culprits,” Khattar was quoted in news reports.
Meanwhile, prime accused Touseef’s accomplice Rehan was sent to 14 days of judicial custody. Three persons have been arrested in the case so far. The man who allegedly provided a country-made pistol to Touseef has also been nabbed.
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Haryana: Nitika Tomar’s murder being used to fuel ‘love jihad’, hate politics?