Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal
Flashback: Haryana Police's Failure to Control Mewat Violence Post-Babri Masjid Demolition
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal
Flashback: Haryana Police’s Failure to Control Mewat Violence Post-Babri Masjid Demolition
In an excerpt from my upcoming book Inside Story of Haryana Police, it has been revealed that despite being alerted by then Director General of Police (DGP) Kalyan Rudra, the Haryana Police failed to prevent the large-scale violence that erupted in Mewat following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992.
On the day the mosque was demolished, I was having dinner with Kalyan Rudra at the residence of a mutual friend in Rohtak. Having prior experience with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Rudra anticipated the potential repercussions in Mewat and immediately contacted the district police chief, instructing him to take preventive measures. At the time, there were no mobile phones, internet, or 24/7 TV channels, so information spread slowly through newspapers.
The following day, when people learned about the demolition, violence erupted as the local population began targeting properties belonging to the majority community, who are a minority in the Mewat region. The police, with their limited resources, struggled to control the situation.
Adding to the chaos, a cabinet minister in the Bhajan Lal-led Haryana government was allegedly instigating the unruly mob, further escalating the unrest. The reinforcements requested by the police arrived only in the afternoon, by which time the damage had already been done.
As tensions mounted, a delegation from the BJP, led by senior leader Rambilash Sharma, submitted a memorandum to the then Governor, accusing the minister of instigating the violence. Despite early warnings and efforts to control the situation, Haryana Police’s failure to manage the violence in Mewat remains a significant chapter in the state’s law enforcement history.