Ignore rumours, monitor miscreants: Gurugram Police directs ahead of Jal Abhishek Yatra

Gurugram police urged all participants to perform Jal Abhishek at their nearest temples to avoid large gatherings and ensure safety

Police on Saturday advised locals representatives and ward members of Nuh and Sohna to ignore rumour-mongering and monitor those spreading misinformation on social media in the run-up to the Jal Abhishek Yatra on July 22 in communally sensitive Nuh.

In the meeting on Saturday, participants were briefed on the details of the Jal Abhishek Yatra, said officials. (HT Photo)

Dhirender Khadgata, deputy commissioner of police, Nuh, confirmed that permission has been granted for the yatra. Separately, Nuh residents have requested permission to set up pandals along the route to Nalhar temple to offer refreshments to participants.

There has been intense speculation around the yatra due to breakout of communal violence in Nalhar village of Nuh on July 31, 2023. The violence spread to Gurugram and other parts of Haryana, resulting in six deaths and injuries to 88 people. Police later attributed the clashes to three provocative videos released by cow vigilantes on social media.

In the meeting on Saturday, participants were briefed on the details of the Jal Abhishek Yatra, said officials. Police urged all participants to perform Jal Abhishek at their nearest temples to avoid large gatherings and ensure safety.

The event, named the Brij Mandal Jal Abhishek Yatra, was initiated by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in 2020 aims to “revive holy Hindu sites” in Nuh — a district around 50km from Gurugram, where Muslims constitute 79.2% of the population, according to the 2011 Census.

The procession begins with a ceremonial “Jal Abhishek” (pouring of sacred water) at the Nalhar Mahadev temple, an ancient temple believed to date back to the time of the Pandavas and houses the Nalhar Pandava reservoir.

Notices issued to DJ operators for Kanwar Yatra

In view of the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, notices were issued to DJ operators under Section 172(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), instructing them to maintain the height of DJ setups within safe limits to prevent contact with electrical wires, which could lead to injuries and deaths due to electric shocks, officials said.

Operators were also advised not to exceed vehicle capacity when transporting participants and to adhere to traffic rules and sound level regulations during the yatra. Failure to comply with these regulations would result in action under Section 172(2) of the BNS, police said.

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