E-Paper
Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi to contest Haryana election, files nomination
Bajrangi, an accused in the Nuh communal violence case and currently on bail, will contest from the Faridabad NIT seat, as an independent.
Self-proclaimed cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi, an accused in the Nuh communal violence case who is out on bail, is entering the poll fray, and will contest next month's assembly election in Haryana as an independent candidate.
Also Read: Out on bail, cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi booked for assault
On Monday, the Faridabad-based Bajrangi, real name Rajkumar Panchal, filed his nomination from the Faridabad NIT assembly segment, won by Neeraj Sharma of the Congress party in the previous 2019 election.
That Bajrangi has filed nomination, was confirmed by Vikram Singh, the District Election Officer, India Today reported.
In recent days, there have been two incidents of cow-related ‘vigilantism’ in Haryana.
On August 23, members of a cow protection group shot dead Aryan Mishra, a 19-year-old student, following a car chase on the Delhi-Agra National Highway in Faridabad. The group claimed to have received information about a few ‘cow smugglers in SUVs’ in the area, and mistook the car, in which the student was travelling, as that of the ‘smugglers.’
Also Read: Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi’s brother set afire, battling for life with 60% burns
Five accused have been arrested in the case.
On August 27, Sabir Malik, a Muslim worker from West Bengal, was lynched in Charkhi Dadri by five men who suspected him of having consumed beef. Seven people – the five men and two minors – are in police custody.
Cow slaughter and trafficking/possession/consumption of its beef are banned in Haryana.
Also Read: Bittu Bajrangi runs in ‘lungi’ as cops chase in dramatic video before arrest
Voters in the state will poll on October 5 to elect members of the 90-seat assembly, while the counting of votes is on October 8. The BJP has been in power here since 2014 and the Congress is aiming to dislodge its arch-rival.
