Imam was killed, and Hindu mob set fire to and opened fire on a mosque.

 




Police have named the victim as 19-year-old Maulana Saad, the prayer leader of the Anjuman Jama mosque in Gurugram's Sector 57, a metropolis of 1.2 million noted for its gleaming buildings and multinational business offices.

Imam was killed as a mob of far-right Hindus set fire to and opened fire on a mosque in a New Delhi neighbourhood hours after fatal communal riots in a neighbouring region.

There were three other persons present, one of them was hurt and the other two were unharmed.

The mosque was attacked by a crowd early Tuesday, a day after rioting in nearby Nuh district in northern Haryana state.

"In the early hours of Tuesday, a group of 50 to 60 miscreants resorted to firing and arson at Anjum, which resulted in the death of one person and the injury of another," Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitish Agarwal told reporters.

"We have arrested a few people, registered a FIR [police report] against them, and launched an investigation into the incident," Agarwal added.

"Today's situation is regrettable. I appeal to everyone to keep the state peaceful. At any cost, the guilty will not be spared. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar remarked on X, the social networking site formerly known as Twitter, that "severe action will be taken against them."

"Our first priority is to stabilise the situation." We are asking to everyone to keep the peace. "We are also attempting to send forces by helicopter," said Anil Vij, the state's interior minister.

Gurugram, on the other hand, remained tense throughout the day as mobs roamed the streets, torching junk businesses and vandalising small restaurants, the most of which belonged to Muslims.

This comes as Hindu far-right organisations affiliated with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) push against Friday prayers in Gurugram, Haryana. One of the few was the Anjuman Mosque officially recognised to hold prayers.

Following violent riots between the Hindu and Muslim populations in Nuh, authorities enforced a curfew.

At least five people were murdered in the Nuh district confrontations, including two police officers.

He claimed that ten more police officers were hurt in the skirmishes.

Several cars were set on fire and stones were hurled at police, prompting the state administration to call in reinforcements to bring the situation under control, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

To disperse the throng, police sprayed tear gas and fired rounds into the air.

Authorities in the region have halted internet connectivity and prohibited big gatherings.