July 31 violence: Nuh police file charge sheet against 3 accused
The Nuh police have filed a charge sheet against three people in connection with the murder of two home guards during the July 31 communal violence in the district, officers aware of the matter said
The Nuh police have filed a charge sheet against three people in connection with the murder of two home guards during the July 31 communal violence in the district, officers aware of the matter said.
Gurugram, India-August 02, 2023: Workers remove the debris and stone from the road after the communal violence in Nuh on Monday near Bus stand, in Gurugram, India, on Wednesday, 02 August 2023.(Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Officers said the charge sheet, that runs into more than 160 pages, was filed on November 24 in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Nuh, against Sohil Khan, 21, a resident of Dhekli village, and Osama, 30, and Shaukeen, 25, residents of Firozpur Namak. Police have claimed that the communal violence was “motivated” by the February 16 abduction and killing two Muslim men in Haryana’s Bhiwani district, allegedly by cow vigilante Monu Manesar.
In the charge sheet, police said that according to the statement of inspector Ajay Kumar, on July 31, home guards Neeraj and Gursevak had reached Anaj Mandi near the Nuh cyber crime police station when a huge crowd surrounded them with weapons. The mob pelted stones and opened fire at the group, which hit the police team and shattered the windows of their vehicle. The vehicle overturned, and the mob then set it on fire. The crowd dispersed only after the police opened fire in the air
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
{{^usCountry}}
Injured police personnel were subsequently sent to hospital, where the home guards were declared dead.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
Injured police personnel were subsequently sent to hospital, where the home guards were declared dead.
{{/usCountry}}
During the investigation, accused Sohil Khan was arrested on August 26 and two mobile phones were recovered from his possession. When call detail records and locations of the phones were checked, the location of Sohil was found in Nuh on July 31.
“Sohil had posted an audio asking members of a WhatsApp group to be ‘prepared’ for the yatra… Later they gathered near cyber police station where they broke the gate of police station by using a bus. They also thrashed the cops and even snatched their mobile and cash from them,” the charge sheet states.
According to the charge sheet, accused Shaukeen in his disclosure statement said Junaid and Nasir’s murder was the reason for the enmity between local residents and the Bajrang Dal, who had organised a Hindu religious procession, which was subsequently attacked by mobs, resulting in the communal violence.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Third accused Osama also repeated the same statement in his confession, as per the charge sheet, said police.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.
