Gau Rakshak Monu Manesar has been arrested by Haryana Police on Tuesday (September 12) and will be subsequently transferred to Rajasthan Police custody.
Manesar, a prominent Bajrang Dal leader, and a member of Haryana’s Gurugram administration’s special cow protection task force, was named in cases involving the deaths of three Muslim men in Rajasthan, although the police had admitted that they could not find any direct involvement of Manesar in the case.
Addressing the media in August, Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra categorically stated that no direct involvement of Gaurakshak Mohit Yadav, known as Monu Manesar, was found in this alleged double murder case.
Responding to a question regarding Monu Manesar, DGP Mishra said, “Our team visited Nuh to investigate the matter. I would not like to blame Haryana Police. We have a professional approach. We asked them for help. The main issue is actionable intelligence. If there is intelligence, he will be caught. Let me also tell you that he (Monu Manesar) is not among those who were directly involved or were present on the spot or had direct involvement in the incident. However, police are investigating whether he played any indirect role in this case or not.”
Monu Manesar blamed for Islamist violence against Hindu devotees of Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh
Manesar was recently in the headlines after some social media users accused him of provocation by vowing to attend the Jalabhishek Yatra on July 31. While Manesar did not attend the rally, Islamists in Nuh ran riot, attacking the Hindu devotees, which led to the death of at least 7 people.
Preliminary investigation into the violence revealed that Islamists had used the pretext of Manesar attending the rally to mobilise support for disrupting the Shobha Yatra. WhatsApp groups were created in advance that directed members to stock up on stones and bottles to attack the rally.