Ram Bhakt Gopal Arrested By Haryana Police For Giving An Inciting Speech At Pataudi Mahapanchayat

Previously, Ram Bhakt Gopal had brandished a gun and opened fire in Delhi's Jamia area in January 2020.

File Photo

Pataudi: Ram Bhakt Gopal was on Monday arrested by Police in Haryana's Pataudi for delivering an inciting speech there recently during a Mahapanchayat. 

He has been sent to judicial custody. Previously, he had brandished a gun and opened fire in Delhi's Jamia area in January 2020.

Only July 4, a Mahapanchayat was organised in Pataudi's Ramleela ground to discuss the alleged cases of religious conversion, dubbed as 'Love Jihad'. In a gathering of thousands, he was heard saying that he not be expected to maintain dignity.

A purported video clip of his speech was circulated rapidly online, wherein he referred to the 2019 speech by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi and asked for the police force to be removed for five minutes.

"The youth know what needs to be held in their hands, what is the need of the hour," he says indicating violence.

As soon as the video was shared online, it attracted a lot of attention and criticism with netizens demanding Gopal's arrest.

In another video, Gopal took ownership of his speech and reiterated the call for violence against Muslims.

Last year in January, during the Jamia shooting incident, he had brandished a gun despite heavy police force deployment and fired at the marching students. Gopal was said to have expressed no remorse for what he did. He was radicalised by viewing videos on social media, Delhi Police had said. 

Sources had informed that Gopal procured the country-made pistol from his village and left for Delhi in a bus to take revenge for the death of Chandan Gupta who was killed in Kasganj violence on January 26. 

At the time of the violent incident, Gopal was 17-years-old, a minor and was sent to 14-day protective custody by the Juvenile Justice Board in Delhi.

Now, after the arrest, information regarding the course of action over Gopal's case is awaited.