Haryana violence: Tigra community centre a meeting point for Hindu retaliation

Four suspects have been arrested for their involvement in an attack on a mosque in Nuh, India, which resulted in the death of the naib imam. The attack was allegedly planned in response to violence against Hindus. The suspects have been identified as a gym owner, a wrestler, a bouncer, and another individual, and are currently in jail. More arrests are expected to be made.

It was 10pm on Tuesday when suspect one’s phone rang and he picked up the call. His friend was shouting on the other end. “They attacked the yatra in Nuh, Hindus were killed…we must retaliate,” the caller said before asking suspect one to reach a nearby community centre in Tigra village by 10.30pm.

Anjuman Jama Masjid in Sector 57 is 1.3km from Tigra village. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Suspect one and three others from Tigra village reached out to their contacts, relaying the information. “Reach the community centre, Hindus have been attacked,” they told their friends and relatives. These four men have been arrested and are currently lodged in jail. HT is only identifying them as suspects one, two, three and four.

Suspect one, a gym owner and trainer, said there were more than 20 people from Ullawas, Bandhwari and Nathupur villages at the community centre and they boarded SUVs loaded with weapons. “I was aware of the Nuh violence through news, and videos circulating on social media. When I received a call from some local leaders that Muslim men had attacked Hindus, I wanted to join them. The politicians said they wanted our support as there was a mosque in our area and if we attack their property, it will hit them hard. We shouted slogans and also helped pelt stones. Two of the main leaders from Nathupur village were carrying illegal guns, which they fired at the mosque,” he said.

Suspect one said they were at the mosque for hardly 20 minutes. “After firing and assaulting people who were inside, the group disbursed. I returned home and slept,” he said.

Anjuman Jama Masjid in Sector 57 is 1.3km from Tigra village.

The attack was planned around 7pm and men from Ullawas, Badhwari and Nathupur reached Tigra to take help from local youth. The locals said their relatives were injured in the violence in Nuh and their wives and children had a narrow escape.

One of the suspects from Nathupur village, who was involved in the attack but is yet to be arrested, said, “They brutally attacked our people , families who were returning from a temple were intercepted and assaulted. Women and children pleaded with them but they had no mercy,” he said.

Suspect two, a wrestler from Tigra, said, “We pelted stones at the mosque and fled the spot. I had no idea police would pick me up or that I would be recognised through videos.”

Suspect three, who works as a bouncer in a condominium, said he was called by suspect one to join the mob. “We were already watching videos of the Nuh violence and we wanted revenge. A meeting was held to attack the only mosque in the area,” he said.

After the attack on the mosque, Mohammad Saad (22), the naib imam of Anjuman Jama Masjid, was found lying in a pool of blood inside the mosque by the police. He was stabbed multiple times in the chest, neck and abdomen. Police said he was sleeping when the mob attacked the mosque. Caretaker Mohammad Khurshid, who was sleeping in another room, was also injured but he survived along with two others.

The mob fled within 20 minutes after police were alerted by locals. The suspects were picked up by police early Tuesday from their respective houses.

The villagers of Tigra held a panchayat on Thursday after multiple raids were conducted to arrest their men. “We will not let any Muslim stay in our area. It is because of them that our youth are behind the bars,” said a villager, asking not to be named.

More than 15 people have been identified by the police but only four have been arrested so far. Police said they have formed teams to arrest the remaining suspects. “The suspects were identified through human intelligence, videos and CCTV footage. The mob came from Tigra village and returned after setting a mosque on fire and killing its naib imam,” said Nitish Agarwal, deputy commissioner of police (east).

Agarwal said the attack occurred between midnight and 1am, with a mob carrying lathis, and illegal guns. The mob began pelting stones and fired multiple rounds at the mosque, while some men went in to attack those present there. Within a few minutes, the mosque was set on fire.