Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said the Rajasthan Police is free to act against Bajrang Dal's Monu Manesar and his government will extend help. The statement from the CM comes as tension prevails in the state after six people, including two home guards and a cleric, were killed in the clashes that erupted in Nuh over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession. The riots further spread to Gurugram over the past two days.
Monu Manesar at the heart of Nuh communal violence
The outbreak of communal clashes is thought to have been incited by three videos circulating on social media. Two of these videos were released by Monu Manesar, while the third one was posted by Bittu Bajrangi.
28-Year-old Mohit Yadav, commonly known as Monu Manesar, managed to evade arrest for over five months despite being named, along with 21 others, in the abduction and killing of two cattle traders, Junaid and his cousin Nasir, whose charred bodies were found in a burnt car in Rajasthan's Bhiwani on February 16.
At the heart of Monday's communal violence in Haryana's Nuh, which subsequently spread to Sohna and Gurugram, claiming at least five lives and leaving over 50 injured, is Manesar. He is the leader of the cow vigilante wing of Bajrang Dal in Haryana. The violence erupted during a procession organized by right-wing outfits Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
The clashes are believed to have been instigated by three videos that surfaced on social media between Sunday and Monday. Two of these videos were released by Monu Manesar, while another video was shared by Bittu Bajrangi, who is also a cow vigilante. In one of Monu Manesar's videos, he can be heard declaring his participation in the procession on Monday (July 31) in Nuh and encouraging people to gather in large numbers at temples in the Mewat region.
Rajasthan Police free to act against Manesar: Khattar
Amid the allegations of Manesar's involvement, Haryana CM Khattar on Wednesday said Rajasthan police can act against him.
"Rajasthan govt had registered an FIR against Bajrang Dal's Monu Manesar. We have told them that whatever help is required to look for him will be provided by us," Khattar said addressing he media.
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Six people have been killed, 116 have been arrested and 90 detained since clashes broke out on Monday, CM Khattar said.
In the light of the prevailing conditions, 20 companies of central forces have been deployed in Haryana, CM Khattar said, adding that 14 of them are in Nuh, 3 in Palwal, 2 in Gurugram and one in Faridabad.
Four more companies of central forces have been sought on Wednesday, the CM said.
Khattar also vowed to not spare "those found responsible".
