In Haryana, a state in northern India, an ongoing violent incident has rendered approximately 2,500 people - including men, women, and children - stranded in a temple in the vicinity of Gurugram. The chaos outside is nothing short of a nightmare, with stone-pelting mobs setting vehicles on fire and causing significant damage.

The law enforcement agencies, already stretched thin, have resorted to firing tear gas shells and warning shots in an attempt to disperse the mob, and are currently waiting for additional reinforcements to handle the situation. Around 20 people are reportedly injured, one person even being shot, and is in the process of being evacuated.

Given the severity of the situation, internet services have been cut off, and prohibitory orders against large public gatherings have been enforced. This violent outbreak began amidst a religious procession in Nuh, a town close to Gurugram.

A religious pilgrimage called the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra, organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, was abruptly stopped on the Gurugram-Alwar National Highway by a group of young men who started pelting stones at the procession. The violence quickly spiraled out of control, with both government and private vehicles being targeted by the unruly mob.

Caught in this turmoil, the 2,500 pilgrims, initially there to participate in the religious procession, had to take refuge in the Nulhar Mahadev temple. As of now, the police are still trying to devise a safe strategy to evacuate them. Reports suggest that the eruption of this violent confrontation can be traced back to a controversial video posted on social media by a Bajrang Dal activist, identified as Monu Manesar. It appears that Monu and his associates, all involved in multiple criminal cases, had openly circulated this video a few days prior, boldly announcing his intention to stay in Mewat during the yatra.

Amid this scenario, mobile internet services have been temporarily suspended in Nuh district after these clashes broke out between the two groups. The stone pelting reportedly occurred during a 'Shobha Yatra' organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), resulting in several injuries. The Nuh district administration in an official statement said, "Intense communal tension, annoyance, obstruction and injury to persons, danger to human life and property, disturbance of public peace and tranquility in district Nuh of the state of Haryana has been created by the protesters, miscreants, agitators, and anti-social elements."

The extent of the violence is alarming, with reports of vandalism, setting fire to the police station, government office, and other vehicles. Reinforcements from various districts are being dispatched to the site, as the situation is yet to be brought under control. The yatra, which had begun in Gurugram, had reached the Nalhad temple in Nuh and was on its way to the Jheer Mandir in Firozpur Jhirka when it was attacked by the mob throwing petrol bombs and stones. The situation has since spiraled out of control and is spreading to other parts of the district as well. A particular community's youth have reportedly begun pelting stones at shops in Badkali Chowk in Nagina. In Firozpur Jhirka, at Ambedkar Chowk, a bike has been set on fire.

Due to the seriousness of the situation, law enforcement agencies have imposed Section 144 and suspended internet service in the district. Amid the chaos, both government and private vehicles were set ablaze, and the police had to resort to firing to control the situation. The violent events continue to keep the area tense, with isolated incidents being reported at various locations. The violence has now spread to Sohna in Gurugram, where agitators are setting vehicles ablaze, vandalizing them, and throwing stones due to the escalating tension at Ambedkar Chowk in Sohna. Shops, kiosks, and numerous vehicles have been set on fire.

Gurugram's Police Commissioner, Kala Ramachandran, has confirmed that the police are keeping a close eye on every development and are actively engaged in handling the situation. The Deputy Commissioner of Police in Nuh called for a meeting of the two conflicting parties to find a resolution to control the situation, which had begun during the saffron yatra and continues unabated.

As per Dr. Surendra Jain, Joint General Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the violence indicates an absolute failure of the administration. He stated that stones were being loaded into trucks for stone-pelting during the yatra, a fact that the police were informed about in advance but took no action on. The tension escalated when members of the Bajrang Dal and Hindu organizations were attacked upon leaving the temple. With insufficient police force at the scene, the situation quickly became uncontrollable, leading to a rampage. The attackers dragged people out of their cars and assaulted them. Looting was reported in several shops as well.

In response to the communal tension in Nuh district, the Haryana government has suspended internet services from 4 pm on August 31 until midnight on August 2. This order was issued by Haryana's Home Secretary, Mr. TVSN Prasad. As soon as the participants of the Hindu organization began their chants in honor of Shri Ram, members of the Muslim community started protesting. The initial verbal skirmishes soon escalated into physical violence, with gunshots being fired.

Based on the information, a video from Monu Manesar had gone viral the previous night, in which he expressed his intent to join the yatra. This only further strained the already tense situation, although the tension had been brewing even before the video's release. Reports suggest that for several days, members of the Muslim community were inciting tension by making threatening videos about the organization of the yatra go viral. Despite the CID's knowledge of these activities, no action was taken. Monu, however, did not attend the Manesar yatra.