9 september 2024: Self-styled cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi, currently out on bail in connection with the Nuh communal violence case, is entering the political arena. He will run as an independent candidate in the upcoming Haryana assembly elections next month.
On Monday, Bajrangi, whose real name is Rajkumar Panchal, submitted his nomination papers for the Faridabad NIT assembly seat. This seat was previously held by Congress’s Neeraj Sharma in the 2019 elections.
The District Election Office confirmed Bajrangi’s nomination.
Bajrangi’s candidacy comes amid recent violent incidents involving cow protection groups. On August 23, members of such a group killed 19-year-old Aryan Mishra in a case of mistaken identity during a car chase on the Delhi-Agra National Highway. The group believed the car Mishra was traveling in belonged to cow smugglers. Five individuals have been arrested in this case.
Additionally, on August 28, Sabir Malik, a Muslim worker from West Bengal, was lynched in Charkhi Dadri by a group who accused him of consuming beef. Seven people, including two minors, have been detained in connection with this incident.
In Haryana, cow slaughter and the possession or consumption of beef are prohibited. The state’s assembly elections are set for October 5, with vote counting scheduled for October 8. The BJP has governed Haryana since 2014, and the Congress is seeking to unseat its rival.