Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi, who was arrested in connection with communal clashes in Nuh earlier this month and later on released, has been placed under 14-day judicial custody after his fresh arrest.
Bajrangi was presented before a Nuh court on Thursday and subsequently sent to judicial custody at the Neemka jail in Faridabad district. Bajrangi, also known as Raj Kumar, was arrested on Tuesday in Faridabad after a fresh FIR was filed against him at Nuh’s Sadar police station by assistant superintendent of police Usha Kundu.
An official spokesperson from Nuh Police said that Bajrangi was found in possession of eight swords, news agency PTI reported.
In a court submission, Nuh Police requested that Bajrangi not be sent to the Nuh district jail due to concerns that Muslim inmates there might pose a threat to him.
“Most of the accused lodged in Nuh Jail belong to the Muslim community. If Bittu is sent to Nuh Jail then his life is in danger. The Muslim inmates are enraged against Bittu.”
In such a situation, the accused should be sent to Bhondsi Jail in Gurugram to prevent any untoward incident. Also proper instructions should be given to the jail superintendent,” the police’s remand request paper stated.
After considering this submission, the court decided to send Bajrangi to Neemka jail in Faridabad. A senior police officer said that authorities are currently conducting raids to apprehend Bajrangi’s associates.
According to the FIR, Bajrangi, identified through social media posts, along with unidentified supporters, allegedly engaged in misbehavior and threats directed at a police team led by ASP Kundu. This confrontation occurred when the police stopped them while they were carrying swords and “trishuls” to Nalhar temple.
In her complaint, ASP Kundu said, “I was on duty with my team 300 meters away from the Nalhar temple. We saw a mob of around 20 people carrying swords and trishuls marching to Nalhar temple. To maintain law and order, my team snatched and seized their weapons.”
Kundu said that when they asked the mob to halt, they responded by raising slogans against the police, physically assaulting them, and forcibly reclaiming their confiscated weapons from police vehicles.
“Even though we had secured their weapons in our vehicles, they proceeded to obstruct our vehicles and then managed to open the rear gates of our official vehicle, fleeing with the weapons. Bittu and others who had misbehaved with us and threatened us were identified in the footage,” ASP Kundu stated in her complaint.
Bajrangi had been previously detained by Faridabad Police two days after the outbreak of violence, related to another case connected with the communal clashes, but he was later released on bail.
He faced allegations of delivering inflammatory speeches and publicly brandishing weapons. The Vishva Hindu Parishad issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying that Raj Kumar alias Bittu Bajrangi had “never had any relation” with its youth wing Bajrang Dal or any other organizations affiliated with VHP.
Meanwhile, officials have registered an FIR against unknown individuals for purportedly delivering incendiary speeches during the “Sarv Hindu Samaj mahapanchayat” on August 13 in Palwal, Haryana. The FIR has been filed under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (statements conducting public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Hathin police station on Mon
