Haryana violence: Economic activity slows as Gurugram battles exodus of workers

After the threat incidents, police teams have been deployed in the affected areas and also in plain clothes to keep a check on any suspicious activity.

Residents in Gurugram have begun reaching out to district authorities after people working from them, mostly from the Muslim community, left their homes for their hometowns or refused to step out following threats of reprisal attacks from right-wing Hindu groups in the aftermath of the communal violence in Muslim-majority Nuh.

Residents prepare to shift from Sector-71 area following incidents of violence, in Gurugram, Friday, August 4. (PTI)

Hundreds of migrant workers from at least six Gurugram neighbourhoods left the city after they were threatened by right-wing groups, people in these areas said, prompting resident welfare associations and traders’ group to complain of lack of essential staff.

The exodus started on Tuesday and intensified in the following days, especially in Tigra, Wazirabad, Tigaon, Badshahpur, Sector 70A, Sector 57, Sector 56, Dundahera, Palam Vihar, Manesar, Sukanderpur, Nathurpur, Teekli, Kasan, IMT and Ghata village.

“Some locals on motorbikes had come to our slums and threatened that if we didn’t leave, they will set our hutments on fire at night while we will be sleeping. We could not sleep for three nights and any vehicular noise that came, threatened us,” said Nagma Khatun, who moved to the city from a village in West Bengal two years ago to work as a domestic help. She and others in her neighbourhood have not left home since Tuesday.

Salli Rehmu Khan, who came from Malda in West Bengal and has been working as a security guard in Sector 57, said he and his family were evicted by the landlord. “The landlord and contractor asked us to leave overnight. We had no place to go so we shifted to a friend’s place in Badshahpur and we are leaving Saturday night with our group of 35 people including children,” he said.

Residents in high-rises close to slum clusters said their domestic helps, car cleaners, cooks, security guards and drivers did not report to work since Tuesday, citing the threat to their lives. They said they have now approached the deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav and requested him to visit the areas and convince them to stay back.

“Also, we wanted that DC should meet the remaining families and to motivate them not to leave the city. To address their safety and security concern,” said Ajay Sharma, member of Tulip Ivory RWA in Sector 70.

Shveta Sharma a resident of Tulip Orange, Sector 70, said her domestic help and car cleaner did not turn up. “These people are scared and in panic. My help’s husband is a barber in a nearby shop. He was asked not to come to the shop if he wanted to live. He was slapped by some men, who took his picture and said that they had circulated it his photograph in several groups and if anyone saw him next, he would be shot dead,” she said.

Joginder Singh, the former RWA president of Sector 57, said: “Most of the residents here are working couples and without help they are finding difficult to manage. Despite offers of extra money and shifting to employer’s residences, they are not ready to come. The situation is grim in Sector 57 area. All dhaba, fruits, vegetable and barber shops have been shut,” he said.

After the threat incidents, police teams have been deployed in the affected areas and also in plain clothes to keep a check on any suspicious activity taking place in the area, said police.

DC Yadav said he visited slum areas in Sohna, Sector 58 and sector 70 where he met several groups of people who complained of panic. “Many of the migrants workers said they were fearing for their lives and were suspecting that they might be attacked by locals but they were assured of action if anyone tried to trouble or threaten them. I have motivated them to work fearlessly. We have also deployed teams of rapid action force at various places in the district,” he said.

Yadav said many have left the city and their friends and relatives have informed them to return as the situation was better.

Officials said the district administration was conducting confidence building exercises for migrant workers and will continue till they are back.

Gurugram police commissioner Kala Ramachandran said they have deployed forces at all areas near slums for the safety and security of migrant workers. “We have not received any complaint regarding any threats from locals or landlords. We are keeping close watch on all affected areas,” she said.