The Ghaziabad police on Sunday arrested Satyam Pandit, the president of the Hindu right-wing organisation, Hindu Veer Sena, for delivering a hate speech and inciting violence against Muslims and Bangladeshis. Pandit was produced in court on Sunday and sent to judicial custody. The arrest came after a video went viral on social media, showing Pandit threatening to cut off the beards of Muslims and beat them with sticks before sending them back to Bangladesh.
In the inflammatory video, he called for the 72-hour expulsion of Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis from Indian soil. The video was allegedly made in response to alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. “In the video, Satyam Pandit of the Hindu Veer Sena confronted the police and used abusive language. He was arrested by Nandgram police and taken to jail,” said police commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra.
In a bizarre incident, Pandit’s associates made a video of him being taken to the magistrate’s court in a private car, showcasing his “bhaukaal(Flex)” despite being in police custody.
The accused warned that if authorities do not repatriate Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslims from the country within 72 hours, they will face reprisals. This video quickly went viral, prompting the Ghaziabad police to file a case under sections related to hate speech and incitement. In a bizarre act, Pandit’s associates made a video of him being taken to the magistrate’s court in a private car, without any handcuffs, showcasing his “bhaukaal(Flex)” despite being in police custody.
Meanwhile, Bhupendra Chowdhury alias Pinki of the Hindu Raksha Dal and his supporter Badal alias Hariom were ordered to be held in judicial custody for 14 days on Sunday.
The two were arrested on Saturday after allegedly assaulting a group of people living near a railway station and destroying their shanties while claiming to be Bangladeshi infiltrators. On Friday, their shanties were razed and set on fire near Guldhar railway police station, which falls under the jurisdiction of the city’s Madhuban Bapudham police station.
Mishra said that more attackers need to be identified, and efforts are underway to nab them. Officials stated that those attacked were not Bangladeshis, and a FIR had been filed against Chowdhary and 20 others for rioting, inciting religious hatred, and other offences. According to reports, some residents were injured in the incident, which occurred around 7.30 p.m. on Friday.