After five days, the Haryana authorities lifted the curfew on Punhana town in Mewat on Wednesday. The clampdown was imposed after a 22-year-old Meo Muslim man was found dead with a bullet in his head on Friday.
On Wednesday a panchayat was called at the Punhana police station, where 51 members from both the communities embraced each other, putting an end to the conflict. The meeting was attended by the deputy commissioner and the Superintendent of Police, Mewat.
The two communities organised a peace march at the bazaar, opening the shops that had remained shut since April 11. The DC and the SP also accompanied the march.
“Both sides accepted their mistakes and ultimately hugged each other to bring a sweet end to the bitter conflict. All is well that ends well,” said Sanjay Singla, former Sarpanch of Pinagwan who remained active in the deliberations.
The deputy commissioner, RC Verma, announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of Wajid, the youth who was found murdered the next day of polling.
“The murder of Wajid would be investigated fairly. The offenders would not be spared,” said SP Anil Kumar Dhawan.
{{/usCountry}}“The murder of Wajid would be investigated fairly. The offenders would not be spared,” said SP Anil Kumar Dhawan.
{{/usCountry}}Mediators from neighbouring Pinagwan town was in constant touch with the conflicting parties and the administration to bring an end to the conflict.
This Hindu delegation comprised traders and local businessmen, along with sarpanches of Pinagwan. As Hindus in Punhana have relatives in Pinagwan, they have been deputed to work out a compromise with the Muslims. The Muslims, on their part, also formed a peace panel called ‘Aman’ to settle the issue.
“We were in constant touch with the two parties and had been pushing for a negotiated and peaceful solution. This patch up today is an extremely positive development in Hindu-Muslim unity and will go a long way forward,” said Arjun Singh, sarpanch of Pinagwan.