Faridabad police PRO Sube Singh said that Bajrangi, lodged in Faridabad’s Neemka jail, will be released by Wednesday evening. “Though he was arrested under the jurisdiction of Nuh police, his counsel had sought that he be sent to a Faridabad jail, claiming that the locals accused in the violence case could attack him inside the prison. The question of security prompted authorities to send him to Neemka jail,” he added.

Bajrangi was arrested under charges of assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty; voluntarily causing harm to deter a public worker from doing duty; rioting; and Section 25 of the Arms Act. The FIR also mentioned 15-20 unnamed individuals under various IPC sections along with the Arms Act for illegal possession of weapons.

The FIR registered on the complaint of ASP Usha Kundu stated, “On July 31, during my duties related to maintaining law and order for the Jal Abhishek Yatra, around 12.30 pm, 300 metres away from Nalhar temple, I encountered a group of 15-20 individuals going towards the temple. We had asked people not to carry weapons during the yatra and during a peace committee meeting, this was reiterated to organisers.”

The complaint further stated: “Some of them were carrying swords and trident-like weapons. With the assistance of my staff, I managed to prevent them from using these weapons and causing harm. One individual, Bittu Bajrangi, identified through social media, along with his associates, attempted to snatch these weapons from my fellow police officers and me.”

In addition, Kundu said in her complaint: “We seized these weapons with the help of the police force and brought them to our official vehicle. Bajrangi and his associates then sat in front of my official vehicle and began shouting slogans against the police… (They) broke the rear window… took away the seized weapons and threatened police officers. They acted against the law by using illegal weapons and threatening behaviour,” it stated.

Earlier, amid talks that he was a member of the Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the organisation tweeted that Bajrangi, the head of Gau Raksha Bajrang Force, was never a part of the outfit. “Raj Kumar, also known as Bittu Bajrangi, who is being referred to as a Bajrang Dal activist, has never had any affiliation with Bajrang Dal. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad also does not consider the content of the videos allegedly released by him as appropriate,” it said, referring to videos in which Bajrangi is purportedly seen hurling abuses against a community.