New Delhi: Self-proclaimed ‘cow vigilante’ and Bajrang Dal member Bittu Bajrangi, who is based out of Faridabad, has been arrested by the police on Tuesday (August 15) in connection with the communal violence in Nuh, Haryana.Violence broke out in Nuh and spread over the district on July 31, when the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad took out a ‘Shobha Yatra’ through Muslim-majority areas carrying weapons and allegedly used provocative slogans. According to the Hindustan Times, Bittu Bajrangi was present at the rally and allegedly snatched weapons from policement.According to The Indian Express, a video of the arrest shows Bittu Bajrangi attempting to flee while around 20 policemen in plain clothes chase and eventually capture him in Faridabad’s Dabua.Bittu Bajrangi’s real name is Raj Kumar. He is the Faridabad chief of the Gau Raksha Bajrang Force. In several videos over the last few years, he has been seen to be making anti-Muslim remarks and even encouraging the use of violence.‘Carrying swords and trident-like weapons’An FIR against him was registered on a complaint by ASP Usha Kundu at Sadar Nuh police station on Tuesday. The charges against him, according to The Indian Express, include assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty, voluntarily causing harm to deter a public worker from doing duty, rioting, and Section 25 of the Arms Act.“On July 31, during my duties related to maintaining law and order for the Jal Abhishek Yatra, around 12.30 pm, 300 metres away from Nalhar temple, I encountered a group of 15-20 individuals going towards the temple. We had asked people not to carry weapons during the yatra and during a peace committee meeting, this was reiterated to organisers,” the ASP said in her complaint.“Some of them were carrying swords and trident-like weapons. With the assistance of my staff, I managed to prevent them from using these weapons and causing harm. One individual, Bittu Bajrangi, identified through social media, along with his associates, attempted to snatch these weapons from my fellow police officers and me,” she continued.“We seized these weapons with the help of the police force and brought them to our official vehicle. Bajrangi and his associates then sat in front of my official vehicle and began shouting slogans against the police… (They) broke the rear window… took away the seized weapons and threatened police officers. They acted against the law by using illegal weapons and threatening behaviour,” the complaint stated.Another 15-20 people have been named in the FIR and charged under various sections, the newspaper reported.Bajrangi had been arrested earlier this month for a provocative video posted on social media on July 31 morning, but was then released on bail. He has previously also featured in multiple hate speech-related FIRs.VHP’s responseThe Vishwa Hindu Parishad said in a tweet that “Raj Kumar alias Bittu Bajrangi, who is said to be a Bajrang Dal worker, has never had any relation with Bajrang Dal.”“Vishwa Hindu Parishad also does not consider the content of the video allegedly released by him to be appropriate,” they added.This is the first time that the VHP has acknowledged his Haryana video.
