The Haryana government on Sunday ordered suspension of mobile internet and the bulk SMS services in Nuh district for 24 hours ahead of the Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra. The decision was taken in view of the violence that marred the same yatra last year.
The internet service in the district will remain suspended from 6 pm Sunday to 6 pm Monday, according to an order by Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Anurag Rastogi.
"... there is an apprehension of causing tension, annoyance, agitation, damage of public and private property and disturbance of public peace and tranquility in the district Nuh..," the order read.
The suspension order was given "to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours" through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said, "We have alerted the officials. I want to appeal to the people that this is a religious event. We live in a society of harmony."
"The yatra passes through the Braj Mandal by the devotees of Lord Krishna. There should be cooperation during the yatra to make it successful," he added.
TIGHT SECURITY IN PLACE
The police in Nuh have made tight security arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the yatra. The local police, along with commando units, mounted police, dog squads, and bomb squads, are strategically positioned throughout the district.
The Nuh police, utilizing drones and dog squads, are conducting continuous search operations and surveillance to ensure safety. All vehicles entering and leaving the district are subject to video recording and dog squad inspections at various checkpoints.
The presence of mounted police is also noticeable at different locations within the district. To instill a sense of security among the public, a flag march was conducted under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police, Nuh.
The police have also denied permission to cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi to attend the yatra. Bajrangi, the national president of Goraksha Bajrang Force, was arrested last year for his divisive statements which allegedly flared communal clashes in Nuh district.
Two home guards were killed and at least 15 others, including several policemen, injured on July 31 last year as a mob in Haryana's Nuh district tried to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession, pelting stones and setting cars on fire.
The same night, a mob attacked a mosque in Gurugram and killed its naib imam.
At least five people were killed and scores injured in the immediate aftermath of the interfaith clash.
