Swatantra Bharadwaj, who describes himself as a “kattar Hindu”, is a social media figure at the centre of a controversy over an alleged assault during a Cockroach Janata Party protest.
A viral video in which Bharadwaj appeared to claim that he had “cracked the skull” of student activist Nishu Azad’s father, Sanjay Kumar, triggered demands for his arrest.
Bharadwaj has denied deliberately attacking Kumar and claimed he acted in self-defence. He was detained in Bulandshahr on Friday as Delhi Police pursued the case.
From Viral Podcast To Detention: What We Know About Self-Styled Influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj
A viral podcast clip and mounting political pressure led to his detention days after the Jantar Mantar protest turned violent
Summary
Swatantra Bhardwaj, a self-styled "kattar Hindu" social media influencer, has come into the national spotlight after a viral podcast in which he appeared to boast about assaulting the father of a student protester during a Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
The remarks triggered widespread outrage and mounting demands for his arrest. However, Bhardwaj claimed he acted in self-defence. Notably, he was detained from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, hours after Delhi Police assured CJP protesters that he would be arrested within 72 hours in connection with the alleged assault on Sanjay Kumar, father of student activist Nishu Azad.
Officials told PTI that police teams traced Bhardwaj to Dhamra Nara village after he had earlier left Naithla village on a motorcycle.
Who Is Swatantra Bharadwaj?
Bharadwaj, 21, is a social-media figure who describes himself as a “kattar Hindu” and has been identified in recent reports as a self-styled influencer. He has posted videos and commentary targeting the Cockroach Janata Party's student agitation.
Several teams were deployed to trace Bhardwaj. A video clip of an interview in which he is heard boasting about cracking the skull of Sanjay Kumar, the father of student activist, Nishu Azad, during the July 20 protest in Delhi had gone viral.
Bhardwaj had allegedly fled from Naithla village on a Bullet motorcycle towards Khurja before the police team reached there to apprehend him. He was wearing a helmet, apparently to conceal his identity, officials said, as per PTI.
The Cockroach Janta Party staged a protest outside the Parliament Street police station in the national capital on Friday to demand action against him.
Why Was Swatantra Bharadwaj Facing Calls For Arrest?
Bharadwaj has claimed that what people are calling an attack was actually an act of self-defence.
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After Bhardwaj's initial video, the 21-year-old said in a recent podcast, "Had I not acted in self-defence, the mob could have beaten me to death, or I could have lost my life." He said, as per PTI, he had video evidence to prove he did not attempt to attack them (protesters).
"I have video evidence to prove it. I was surrounded by 10-15 people. When I took action in self-defence, they sustained head injuries. According to the Delhi Police medical report, they did not suffer any serious injuries. I am co-operating with the ongoing investigation," he said.
On Friday, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) representatives said the Delhi Police has assured that Bharadwaj will be arrested within 72 hours. CJP co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, scores of supporters, and MPs Chandrashekhar Azad and Pappu Yadav reached Parliament Street police station and sought action against Bharadwaj.
In the video of the controversial interview, Bhardwaj is heard speaking about his attack on Kumar.
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"I cracked the skull of Nishu's father. Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307. He needed 60 stitches. The man was being taken away in an ambulance in a serious condition. His daughter was standing outside the police station and saying that she would die by suicide if her father didn't get justice. But I was not even jailed. The world should know this. I was out and about through the night," Bhardwaj is heard saying in the video.
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