Gurugram, the bustling business hub located south of India’s capital New Delhi, remained on edge after two days of Hindu-Muslim clashes resulted in a death toll of seven people. On Wednesday, traffic was lighter than usual, and some streets were deserted in the region.
The violence erupted during a religious procession by Hindus in the Muslim-dominated Nuh district on Monday, leading to the deaths of four people, including two police personnel, and leaving around 60 people injured. By Wednesday morning, two more civilians had succumbed to their injuries.
The unrest spread to the neighboring Gurugram on Monday night and persisted through Tuesday. The situation escalated with a mosque being set on fire, and its cleric killed, along with several shops and eateries being vandalized or torched.
Officials reported that 116 people have been arrested so far in connection with the clashes in Nuh, and security forces remained on alert across the region, including in New Delhi, where Hindu nationalist groups staged demonstrations at various locations.
Gurugram is home to numerous multinational companies, such as Google, Deloitte, and American Express, making it an essential business and economic center. However, the recent unrest has prompted some educational institutions in the district to suspend physical classes and switch to online learning for safety concerns.
The situation poses significant challenges for the Indian government, especially as the G20 summit is set to take place in New Delhi in just over a month. Many of India’s 200 million Muslims have expressed apprehensions about their place in society under the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, further intensifying their anxieties.
As investigations continue, a federal minister belonging to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioned why participants in the procession in Nuh were carrying weapons, adding to the complexity of the situation.
