The Haryana government on Sunday suspended mobile internet services in Nuh district for 24 hours ahead of a religious procession that was marred by violence last year, PTI reported.

The order came into effect at 6 pm on Sunday.

In the order, Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Anurag Rastogi said that there was “apprehension of causing tension, annoyance, agitation, damage of public and private property and disturbance of public peace and tranquillity” in the district.

There is a “clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order” in Nuh, the order said.

The order was issued to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, among others, on mobile phones and SMS “for facilitation and mobilisation of mobs of agitators and demonstrators who can cause serious loss of life and damage to public and private properties by indulging in arson or vandalism and other types of violent activities”.

The order came following a feedback from the deputy commissioner of Nuh and the state’s additional director general of police-crime investigation department.

Violence had broken out between the Hindu and Muslim communities during the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra on July 31, 2023, leading to the death of two home guards and injuries to at least 15 others, including several police personnel.

The clash sparked in Nuh soon spread to other areas of Haryana. The same night, a mob had attacked a mosque in Gurugram and killed its naib imam. A naib imam is the deputy to the imam of the mosque.

At least six persons were killed and several others injured in the immediate aftermath of the violence.

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