Bittu Bajrangi placed under house arrest ahead of Nuh yatra

The precautionary step came amid heightened security across Nuh after a shrine (mazar) was allegedly vandalised

Self-styled cow vigilante Raj Kumar, alias Bittu Bajrangi—one of the prime accused in last year’s communal violence during the Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh—was placed under house arrest in Faridabad till Monday night to prevent his participation in this year’s procession. Two armed personnel were deployed outside his residence after police denied him permission to attend the yatra.

Raj Kumar, alias Bittu Bajrangi.

Bajrangi had approached the Punjab and Haryana high court last week seeking urgent permission to join the yatra, but no hearing date was assigned. He then submitted an undertaking to Nuh and Faridabad police stating he would refrain from making provocative statements or posting controversial content online. Despite this, his request was rejected.

The precautionary step came amid heightened security across Nuh after a shrine (mazar) was allegedly vandalised in Sainipura, Tauru, late Sunday night. Authorities suspect the act was intended to disrupt peace ahead of the procession.

More than 2,500 police personnel were deployed across the district, with drone surveillance and CCTV monitoring set up at key locations—particularly around Nalhar temple, where suspects had opened fire from hilltops during the 2023 violence. Mobile internet and bulk SMS services were suspended for 24 hours, and the sale of meat was prohibited along the yatra route from Nalhar Mahadev Temple to Jhirkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Ferozepur Jhirka and the Singar Temple in Singar village.

Nuh deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena said police responded swiftly to Sunday’s incident and held meetings with community stakeholders to maintain calm. “The situation is completely peaceful. Senior officials were stationed on the ground to ensure law and order,” he said.

Meena added that the yatra was held without incident, with devotees offering prayers at multiple temples throughout the district. “This time, we also stationed police personnel on the hills around Nalhar temple for additional surveillance,” he said.

Haryana sports minister Gaurav Gautam, CM Nayab Singh Saini’s media advisor Mukesh CL Vashisth, BJP leaders, All India Peace Committee chairman Haji Jaan Mohammad and others welcomed devotees during the procession.

Bajrangi, along with another cow vigilante Monu Manesar and Congress MLA Mamman Khan, is among the key accused in the July 31, 2023, communal violence that began in Nuh and spread to Gurugram. The clashes left six people dead, including a home guard, and injured more than 70. Bajrangi has since been barred from entering Nuh without prior permission.

Faridabad police spokesperson Yashpal Yadav confirmed that Bajrangi was taken to Saran police station on Sunday evening and gave a written assurance that he would not engage in any activity that could incite tension. Bajrangi later said he had requested to be confined to his home rather than the police station, after which the personnel were posted outside his residence