'US calls for calm, urges parties to refrain from violent actions'

WASHINGTON: In response to the ongoing clashes in Gurugram and surrounding areas, the United States Department of State said that the US calls for calm and urges parties to refrain from violence.

Addressing the State Department briefing on Wednesday (local time), the official spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "I would say of – with respect to the clashes that obviously we would, as always, urge calm and urge parties to refrain from violent actions."

"With respect to whether we’ve heard from any Americans, I’m not aware of that. I’m happy to follow up with the – with the embassy," he said when asked about any American citizen impacted by the clashes in Gurugram.

Clashes between two groups broke out in Nuh on Monday afternoon after a religious procession passing through the district came under attack, leaving two home guards dead and dozens of people — including around 20 policemen — injured in the frenzy of violence that followed.

As the conditions in Haryana’s Nuh, Faridabad and Palwal districts and in three sub-divisions of Gurugram remain critical and tense, the state government on Wednesday announced that mobile internet services will remain suspended in these districts till August 5.

The order passed by the Haryana Home Secretary stated that the conditions in these districts remain critical and tense.

The official notification further reads that the decision has been taken in view to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through various social media platforms.

Following the violence, the security in the districts adjoining Nuh -- Faridabad, Palwal, and Gurugram-- were strengthened. The schools and colleges were closed in view of the recent incidents of violence in the area.