Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi arrested for criminal intimidation & rioting, say Nuh Police

FIR was lodged on the basis of a complaint by a senior ASP woman officer for allegedly misbehaving, and jumping on the bonnet of her vehicle.

BISMEE TASKIN, The Print, 15 August, 2023, New Delhi: Self-styled cow vigilante Raj Kumar alias Bittu Bajrangi has been arrested by the Nuh Police on the basis of an FIR lodged Tuesday for alleged misbehaviour, rioting and criminal intimidation, ThePrint has learnt.

The First Information Report lodged Tuesday was registered under IPC Sections 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 332 (voluntarily causing harm in order to deter a public worker from doing his duties), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 395 (dacoity), 395 (committing robbery or dacoity, using any deadly weapon), 506 (criminal intimidation), and relevant sections of the Arms Act.

“He has been detained for questioning by Nuh police from Faridabad. This is in connection to misbehaviour with a senior woman officer — ASP rank officer — before the violence. He was with a sword and was asked by the officer to drop it. He started misbehaving and jumped on the bonnet of her vehicle,” a senior Nuh Police officer told ThePrint.

Earlier, the Bajrang Dal member was arrested by the Faridabad Police but was released on bail.

He had purportedly in a video on Facebook on 31 July said, “phool mala tayyar rakho (keep flowers and garlands ready)” and “tumhara jija aa raha hai (your brother-in-law is coming)” which was taken as an indication towards the presence of fellow vigilante Monu Manesar’s presence in the Braj Mantra Yatra.

Manesar is an accused in the Zunaid-Nasir murder case in which the role of gau rakshaks is under scanner. He, however, did not  attend the rally.

These ‘provocative’ videos and rumours seem to have played a role in the violence in Nuh. Six people — five in Nuh including two home guards and one Naib Imam in Gurugram — were killed in the violence that spread after the rally.

On Monday, Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra had said that the police probe didn’t find Monu’s direct involvement in the murders but are investigating his “indirect involvement”.

(Edited by Tony Rai)