Monu Manesar is wanted over his alleged role in the killing of two Muslim men
The clashes that erupted in Haryana's Nuh near Gurugram during a religious procession on Monday were ignited by rumours surrounding the attendance of a Bajrang Dal leader, Monu Manesar, who is wanted over his alleged role in the killing of two Muslim men earlier this year.
Four people, including two Home Guards, have been killed and at least 30 others injured in the clashes between two groups yesterday in Nuh. The violence and tension spread to Gurugram, where a mosque was burnt down overnight.
Monu Manesar had allegedly posted a video a few days ago, claiming he would attend the Nuh religious procession and appealing to his supporters to come out in large numbers. He was later reportedly warned on social media to stay away.
News agency PTI quoted Monu Manesar as saying he did not participate in the gathering on the advice of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which feared that his presence would create tension.
Monu Manesar, 30, has evaded the police since he was charged for the kidnapping and murder of two Muslim men found dead in a burnt car in February in Bhiwani.
The charred bodies of cattle traders Junaid and Nasir were found in a burnt car in Bhiwani. Their families in Rajasthan's Bharatpur alleged they were beaten and killed by members of the Bajrang Dal; the group denies any involvement in the crime.
Rajasthan police said they came close to arresting Manesar a few times but information leaked and he managed to escape.
Monu Manesar, or Mohit Yadav, leads a cow vigilante group in Mewat and is notorious for posting videos of cow vigilante attacks. He is also active in campaigns against "love jihad", the term used by the rightwing that accuses Muslim men of seducing Hindu women and forcibly converting them.
He made headlines in 2019 when he was shot at while chasing alleged cow smugglers. He was also a member of a district cow protection task force set up by the Haryana government after a cow protection law was enacted in 2015.
Monu Manesar, with tens of thousands of followers on YouTube and Facebook, frequently showcased images of himself flaunting weapons and cars on his social media accounts.