A deputy imam has been killed after a mob of far-right Hindus torched and opened fire at a mosque in a suburb of the Indian capital, New Delhi, hours after deadly communal violence in a nearby district.

Police have identified the victim as 19-year-old Maulana Saad, prayer leader of the Anjuman Jama mosque located in Sector 57 in Gurugram, a city of 1.2 million known for its glistening towers and offices of multinational corporations.

Three other people were present, of whom one was injured and two remained unharmed.

The mosque came under attack by the mob early on Tuesday, a day after violence in neighbouring Nuh district in northern Haryana state.

“A group of 50 to 60 miscreants resorted to firing and arson at Anjum in the early hours of Tuesday, which led to the death of one person and wounded another,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitish Agarwal told reporters.

“We have arrested a few people, registered an FIR [police report] against them and have launched an investigation into the incident,” Agarwal added.