Nuh Violence: Bittu Bajrangi Taken In Police Custody, FIR Says He And His Associates Carried Weapons, Manhandled Officers

The Haryana Police remanded cow vigilante Bittu Bjarangi in police custody for a day on Wednesday following a complaint filed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Usha Kundu regarding his involvement in the communal clashes that took place in Nuh district.

According to reports, the Nuh police told the media, "Bajrangi was produced in a city court today and we have taken him on a one-day police remand for questioning. Further probe is underway and associates of Bajrangi will also be arrested as earliest possible."

Details of FIR against Bittu Bajrangi

ASP Usha Kundu filed a First Information Report against Bittu Bajrangi and his associates led to the arrest of Bajrangi. Reportedly, Kundu has mentioned in the FIR that on July 31 when the Jal Abhishek Yatra was organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Nuh was taking place, she was part of the security measures taken by the police and checking cars.

Further, Kundu said that she saw 15-20 people along with Bajrangi heading towards Nalhar Shiv Temple in Nuh with tridents and swords around 12:30 pm while she was 300 meters away from the location. Reportedly, Kundu said, "I was on duty with my team 300 metres 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."

After that Kundu along with her colleagues tried to stop the group and take away their weapons when they started to raise slogans against the police and allegedly manhandled some of the officers. 

According to TNIE, Kundu's statement in the FIR read, "After this, they started raising slogans against the police and manhandled the team. We kept their weapons in our vehicles but they went ahead and squatted in front of vehicles. Soon after they opened the rear gates of our official vehicle and fled with weapons. Bittu and others who had misbehaved with us and threatened to kill us were identified in the footage."

ASP has said that Bittu Bajrangi and his associates were uncooperative with the police, threatened them for doing their job and even tried to snatch the weapons that the police took away from them. 

Reportedly, the FIR was filed under several sections of the Indian Penal Code - riots (Section 148), unlawful assembly (section 149), causing hurt (section 323), voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty (section 332), assault or criminal force to deter public servant (section 353), obstructing a public servant from discharging duty (section (186) and criminal intimidation (Section 506) along with provisions of the Arms Act.

Who is Bittu Bajrangi?

Bittu Bajrangi who is also known as Raj Kumar runs a cow vigilante group in Faridabad. He was arrested for his involvement in the communal clashes that took place in the Nuh district of Haryana on July 31 but he was out of bail shortly after. After the court heard the case today, Bajrangi has been remanded by the police for a day. He is also allegedly associated with Monu Manesar of Bajrang Dal who is wanted for multiple murder cases. 

Who runs Bajrang Dal?

Initially, it was suspected that Bittu Bajrangi was part of Bajrand Dal or the Vishva Hindu Parishad. But the right-wing group has made it clear that they are not linked.

In a statement, VHP said, "Raj Kumar alias Bittu Bajrangi, who is said to be a Bajrang Dal worker, has never had any relation with Bajrang Dal. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) also does not consider the content of the video allegedly released by him to be appropriate."

The youth wing of VHP is called the Bajrang Dal.

The violence had left six people dead, including the deputy imam (cleric) of a mosque.