A crime branch team of the Gurugram police has arrested the 9th accused having a bounty of Rs 5,000 for allegedly attacking an under-construction mosque and killing an Imam Mohammad Saad, during riots in 2023, in Gurugram’ Sector-57 area, police said.

According to the police, late at night on August 1, 2023, a mob of about 90-100 people, with cloth tied on their faces, carrying sticks and weapons, surrounded an under-construction Anjuman Masjid, pelted stones and fired at the police team present on duty there, they set the mosque on fire, and stabbed and shot Imam Mohammad Saad and injured one another Khurshid Alam present in the mosque.

Later, during treatment, Mohammad Saad died due to injuries sustained in the violence. In connection with the incident, a case was registered under the relevant sections in Police Station Sector-56, Gurugram.

During investigation, police teams from Police Station Sector-56 and Crime Branch Sector-40, Gurugram, jointly took further action and arrested the rewarded accused Sukhraj alias Kapil alias Kubda, a resident of village Bandhwadi, District Gurugram, on Monday from village Bandhwadi, Gurugram.

Special teams of the Gurugram Police were formed to nab the accused who committed the crime; 08 accused in connection with the incident have already been arrested, police said.

“During police interrogation of the accused Sukhraj, it was found that he was also included in the mob that committed the crime. The accused tried to evade his arrest, due to which the Gurugram police had announced a reward for his arrest. A total of 09 accused have been arrested in the above charge so far,” Sandeep Kumar, spokesperson of the Gurugram police, said.

The Anjuman Masjid in Sector 57 was targeted in Gurugram hours after clashes between a Hindu processions passing through a Muslim-majority village in Nuh district in 2023.