Ghaziabad police have taken ten members of the Hindu Raksha Dal (HRD) into custody for allegedly distributing swords from their office in the Shalimar Garden area. The arrests were made on Tuesday, with authorities also recovering eight swords from the accused.
Viral Video Triggers Police Action
The police action was initiated after a video showing the distribution of swords went viral across various social media platforms. A formal case was registered at the Shalimar Garden police station against 40 individuals, which includes the ten arrested and thirty other unidentified persons.
In an official statement, the police detailed that they received specific information on December 29. The information indicated that HRD's national president, Pinky Chaudhary, along with his associates, was distributing swords at the organization's office located in Shalimar Garden X-2 block. The viral video reportedly showed several individuals brandishing swords, shouting slogans, and engaging in aggressive demonstrations.
Arrests Made, Main Accused Absconding
The ten individuals arrested near a telephone exchange in the vicinity have been identified as Kapil Kumar, Shyam Prasad, Arun Jain, Rampal, Amit Singh, Amit Kumar, Amit Arora, Mohit Kumar, Devendra Baghel, and Ujala Singh. However, the primary accused, Pinky Chaudhary, remains at large and is currently absconding.
Following the arrests, Chaudhary posted another video on social media. In this video, shot in front of a vacant plot, he claimed responsibility for the sword distribution that morning. He stated that approximately 250-300 police personnel subsequently arrived at the scene and confirmed the arrest of some of his workers. Chaudhary defended the action by saying his intention was to "make Hindu families strong" and made a reference to the ongoing situation in Bangladesh.
Link to Bangladesh Tensions
This incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened communal tensions. The trigger has been the recent killing of a young Hindu man by a mob during violent protests in Bangladesh. This event has sparked protests by various Hindu nationalist groups in several parts of India, adding a sensitive context to the sword distribution case in Ghaziabad.
During police interrogation, the arrested individuals confessed to being associated with the Hindu Raksha Dal. They stated that they had gathered to distribute swords on the direct instructions of Pinky Chaudhary, who had also arranged for the weapons. The police have stated that legal proceedings are underway and the criminal backgrounds of all those arrested are being thoroughly verified.
The investigation continues as authorities search for the absconding leader, Pinky Chaudhary, and probe the wider network involved in the incident.
