Online Desk: A mob of Hindu Raksha Dal (HRD) vigilantes, led by their leader Bhupender Tomar alias Pinky Chaudhary, attacked shanties in Ghaziabad’s Kavi Nagar area near the Guldhar railway station, claiming that the residents, who were Muslims, were illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas involved in criminal activities.
In two videos of the attack, first circulated on the group’s own social media accounts, the vigilantes can be seen vandalising tents, setting belongings of the residents ablaze, and assaulting Muslims with lathis while constantly hurling religious slurs. This is the second such attack by the group this week.
The vandals did not just burn the slum but the clothes and belongings of Muslims they picked out, after confirming their identity. These attacks have taken place even as social media has seen calls for retaliation for attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. Notable amongst them are BJP MLA Nitish Rane and BJP MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut.
Rane wrote on X, “If Hindus are targeted and killed in Bangladesh. Why should we allow even one Bangladeshi to breathe here. We will also target and kill.”
Comparing India with Israel, Ranaut wrote that India is covered with extremists. “…Pick your swords and keep them sharp, practice some combat form everyday. If not much give 10 mins to self defence every day…”
A day earlier, Daksh Chaudhary, another associate of HRD, attacked a slum in Delhi’s Shastri Nagar, claiming the residents were illegal Bangladeshis. Chaudhary has a history of hate speech and assault. He is one of the two persons who attacked Congress leader and candidate for Northeast Delhi in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls Kanhaiya Kumar during his campaign. Post elections, he was booked for abusing Ayodhya residents and calling them traitors after the BJP’s defeat in Ayodhya.
