NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough, Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante wanted in connection with the murder of two men from Rajasthan and for his alleged role in inciting violence in the Nuh district in July, has been apprehended by the Haryana Police.
#WATCH | Bajrang Dal’s Monu Manesar detained by Haryana Police. Details awaited.
(Visuals: Seen in CCTV of a local shopkeeper) pic.twitter.com/0ufirgX6jy
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2023
According to Mridul Kachawa, Superintendent of Police in Bharatpur, “Haryana Police has detained Monu Manesar, a key figure wanted in the Nasir and Junaid murder case. Our officers are in communication with them, and once their procedures conclude, our District Police will take over.”
#WATCH | Rajasthan | SP Bharatpur, Mridul Kachawa says, “We have received information that Haryana Police has detained Monu Manesar, who is wanted in Nasir and Junaid (lynching) case. Haryana Police is carrying out its further procedure and our officers are in contact with them.… https://t.co/3l068yqDCg pic.twitter.com/Dmh3n36tds
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2023
Manesar, associated with the Bajrang Dal, stands accused in the murder of two Muslim men from Rajasthan, Nasir, aged 25, and Junaid, aged 35. They were purportedly abducted by cow vigilantes on February 15 and subsequently found dead in a burnt car in Loharu, Haryana, on the following day.
Sources within the Haryana Police have indicated that Manesar was detained on Tuesday, under bailable sections of the Information Technology Act. It is expected that he may secure bail by the evening, after which the Rajasthan Police will take custody of him for the double-murder case.
Earlier in February, Monu Manesar had been implicated in the Rajasthan murder case and named in a chargesheet filed by the Rajasthan Police in May.
Moreover, Manesar faces accusations of fomenting the violence that erupted in Haryana’s Nuh in July, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals. The violence initially began on July 31 during the ‘Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra’ organized by the Vishva Hindu Parishad, spreading to surrounding areas, including Gurugram.
Allegations of Manesar’s attendance at the Yatra had reportedly ignited communal tensions. The cow vigilante, who had been evading authorities in the murder case, had posted a video a few days before the procession, announcing his intention to participate and urging his supporters to join in.
This development had reportedly provoked some members of the Muslim community, who interpreted it as a threat, leading to heated exchanges on social media. Additionally, Manesar’s associate, Bittu Bajrangi, had been arrested in connection with the violence the previous month and subsequently released on bail.
