Bajrang Dal leader detained for vandalising mazar

Fatehpur: A Bajrang Dal office bearer has been detained for allegedly vandalising an old mazar (shrine) in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur, police said on Wednesday.

According to the police, a group of Bajrang Dal workers, led by Narendra Hindu, allegedly gathered at the shrine in Mawai village in Hussainganj police station area on Tuesday evening and damaged the structure using hammers and sticks. The shrine is believed to be several decades old.

A purported video of the incident, which later went viral on social media, showed individuals allegedly vandalising the shrine while issuing warnings and making references to Bangladesh.

In the video, Narendra Hindu was heard saying that people living in the country must show allegiance to the Indian Constitution, the national anthem and Vande Mataram, and that such actions would continue against what he termed a “jihadi mindset.”

The video was subsequently deleted from the social media account from which it was uploaded, the police said.

Following the circulation of the video, tensions flared in the village, with members of the Muslim community expressing strong resentment over the incident.

Station in-charge, Hussainganj, Alok Kumar Pandey told reporters that a heavy police force was deployed in the area soon after information about the incident was received.

Narendra Hindu, identified as the Bhitaura block convenor of the Bajrang Dal, has been taken into custody for questioning, he added.