Indian authorities moved to reimpose order after deadly sectarian violence this week reached the outskirts of New Delhi’s premier business hub, forcing businesses to put staff on alert and raising fears of further unrest ahead of national elections next year.
Gurugram, located west of Delhi in India’s Haryana state, is one of the capital’s biggest satellite cities and houses offices for leading domestic and foreign companies including Google, Meta, and Hyundai. Nicknamed “Millennium City”, the area, previously named Gurgaon, is also home to some of the country’s priciest apartments and villas.
Violence broke out on Monday in Nuh, a small city south of Gurugram, where a Hindu religious procession passed through a Muslim-dominated neighbourhood. Clashes spread to nearby districts, including Gurugram, where a mob set fire to a mosque and according to local media killed its deputy imam. Rioters also torched shops in a mostly Muslim working-class part of the city, alarming residents.