Curfew in Mewat continues after youth’s killing

Curfew continued on the second day in Mewat’s Tauru area owing to the communal tension between two groups following a road accident. The curfew was relaxed for three hours on Monday from 4 pm to 7 pm but no untoward incident was reported. Curfew will not be relaxed on Tuesday too. 

On Sunday, a truck mowed down two men riding a bike in Tauru town of Mewat district, some 40 kms from Gurgaon. One of the occupants was killed on the spot and curfew was imposed after violence erupted in the area.

The truck driver and his assistant, from the Meo community, were thrashed by a mob after the accident.

A word went around that the duo had died — a fact insisted upon by the locals and families and negated by the authorities. The spat turned bigger and the two communities went on a rampage. Around 28 shops were damaged. 

Pelting stones, rioters robbed, plundered and damaged religious monuments. They opened fire at each other. Property was damaged and several were grievously injured. 

Two persons were badly injured in gun fire. Their condition was stated to be critical. Mewat police, however, could not bring the situation under control.

Sources said mob even attacked the policemen, who were outnumbered. They refused to enter the village and called for additional forces who took not less than three hours to reach. The police officials claimed that the two roads to the village had been blocked by rioters.

Mewat Deputy Commissioner RC Verma had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC, banning gathering of five or more persons. He also clamped curfew on the area. Additional police force was summoned.

‘The decision to relax curfew was taken after reviewing the situation. The area will be under curfew until law and order situation is brought under control. We appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony,’ said Verma. 

Around 1,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Haryana Police have been deployed in the area.