Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi was arrested on Tuesday in connection with communal clashes that erupted in Haryana’s Nuh district on July 31, police said.
Bajrangi, also known as Rajkumar, was questioned in connection with a recent FIR registered against him at Nuh’s Sadar police station based on a complaint by Assistant Superintendent of Police Usha Kundu, according to officials.
Police mentioned that Bajrangi, the president of an outfit called the Goraksha Bajrang Force, was initially detained by the Crime Investigation Agency team of Tauru for questioning.
A spokesperson from Nuh Police stated that Bittu Bajrangi was arrested after the questioning and is set to be presented in a city court on Wednesday.
The FIR was filed against Bajrangi under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 148 (riots), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (causing hurt), 353, 186 (obstructing a public servant from discharging duty), 395, 397 (armed robbery), and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as provisions of the Arms Act, the police informed.
A senior police officer explained that Bajrangi and his associates were wielding weapons during a VHP procession that came under attack in Muslim-majority Nuh on July 31.
Amid the ensuing violence, Bajrangi and his associates were seen brandishing their weapons in the air. Assistant Superintendent of Police Kundu managed to confiscate the weapons, but they were allegedly snatched back from a police vehicle. The group also purportedly issued threats to the police.
On the day of the violence, Bittu was reportedly traveling in a vehicle with weapons, leading to a police attempt to seize them. Bittu Bajrangi’s team resisted and obstructed the government action. Furthermore, allegations surfaced that just before the July 31 violence, a video of Bittu Bajrangi making provocative statements against a community had gone viral. This video garnered significant attention, with some labelling it as hate speech. In line with Supreme Court orders, the police can take action after acknowledging hate speech cases themselves. The response of Nuh police to Bittu Bajrangi’s situation remains to be seen.