Mahapanchayat issues 7-day ultimatum for Imam’s killer release, Police look Pak links into violence

Gurugram: Tensions have continued to simmer in Gurugram, Haryana, as a 'mahapanchayat' was held in Tigri village, raising demands for the release of arrested youths linked to the killing of a Muslim cleric on August 1.

The event, organized by the Hindu Samaj Mahapanchayat, has added to concerns following last week's communal violence that erupted in Nuh district and spilled over into Gurugram.

The gathering, which lacks official police permission, drew attention to a seven-day ultimatum issued by the panchayat. The ultimatum calls for the immediate release of the detained individuals connected to the slaying of Naib Imam Mohammed Saad, 26, who was tragically killed during an attack on the Anjuman mosque.

The panchayat formed a 101-member committee to monitor developments and issue an ultimatum if the demands are not met.

Meanwhile, the Haryana police is said to be looking into a potential connection with Pakistan in relation to the communal clashes. Videos depicting the violence believed to be propagated by Pakistan-based sources, have emerged on YouTube.

Municipal Corporation of Gurugram’s outgoing councillor Mahesh Dayma said that the committee will submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner on Monday demanding the release of the four youths arrested from the village in the mosque murder case and also an impartial inquiry into the matter.

A memorandum will be given to all MLAs and ministers too with the same set of demands, he said.

One of the panchayat’s demands was to ban the police from entering the village and continuously raiding the village.

The mahapanchayat was held at Tigra village under the chairmanship of Sarpanch Attar Singh of Mohammadpur village.

Despite the implementation of Section 144, about 700 people from more than 100 nearby villages participated in it.

Among its members were current and former MLAs from Sohna, Sanjay Singh and Tejpal Tanwar, both from BJP and several councillors and sarpanchas.

Sube Singh Bohra, a former sarpanch of Wazirabad village, said villagers will court arrest en masse if the arrested youths, who he claimed were innocent, are not released.

Former district bar association president Kulbhushan Bhardwaj demanded the resignation of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar alleging he was not aware of the flare-up in Nuh till evening.

“We do not want such a Chief Minister. He should resign. We need a Chief Minister like Yogi Adityanath for such times, or else take Nuh into Uttar Pradesh. Such violence will not be tolerated anymore,” he said.

The panchayat was held amid the deployment of heavy security in Tigra and nearby villages.

Several companies of para-military forces, along with police, patrolled the areas from 9 am to 4 pm.

In the midst of these tensions, the district administration has also been focused on demolishing illegal constructions at various locations, including near a medical college in Nuh. The move aims to address long-standing concerns about unauthorized structures in the region.

As the situation continues to unfold, the eyes of the nation remain on Gurugram and its surrounding areas, awaiting further developments in this ongoing communal crisis.

With PTI inputs