Swords handed out in Ghaziabad's residential area; six Hindu Raksha Dal activists arrested

Police on Monday (December 29) arrested six members of the Hindu Raksha Dal for distributing swords in Shalimar Garden colony, police officials confirmed. The arrests are part of a larger case in which 17 office-bearers of the organisation, including its president Bhupendra Chowdhry alias Pinki, have been named. Bhupendra is currently absconding. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Trans Hindon) Nimish Patil said that more than two dozen unidentified individuals linked to the group have also been booked in the case.

According to police, the accused have been charged under sections 191(2) and 191(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rioting and rioting while armed with deadly weapons, along with section 127(2) for wrongful confinement. Investigators said members of the outfit allegedly took out a procession in the residential colony, chanting provocative slogans and moving door-to-door while distributing weapons. Several police teams have been deployed to trace and arrest the remaining suspects.

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Akhilesh Yadav reacts

“Any attempt to disrupt communal harmony or public order will not be tolerated. All named and unnamed accused are being actively pursued,” DCP Patil was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, Bhupendra released a video claiming that hundreds of weapons had been handed out, asserting that they were meant to counter alleged attacks on Hindu families. He also made references to violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, saying that his organisation would not allow similar conditions to emerge in India.

Police said they are maintaining heightened vigilance in the area, which borders Muslim-majority localities such as Shaheed Nagar and Pasonda village, to prevent any escalation of tensions. Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav in a post on X said, “Is there anyone who will take notice against those who bring everything from ‘violent thoughts’ to ‘violent weapons’ right into people’s homes, and who are enemies of the country’s unity and social harmony? Violence is the hallmark of the uncivilized and also of weakening power.”