New Delhi: A group of unidentified assailants allegedly poured petrol over cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi’s brother and set him on fire in Faridabad, police said. Bittu, the national president of Goraksha Bajrang Force, was arrested over his alleged connection with the Nuh violence. He is out on bail now.
According to police, the incident took place when Bittu’s brother, Mahesh Panchal, was at Baba Mandi around 1.30am on Thursday. A group of unidentified persons came to him and asked if he was the brother of Bittu. When he said he was, they allegedly poured petrol and set him on fire.
He suffered 60 percent burn injuries. He somehow managed to escape from the spot and went home from where he was rushed to BK Hospital. He was referred to another private hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment.
32-year-old Mahesh Panchal is a resident of Parvatiya Colony, Sanjay Enclave, Faridabad.
On receiving information about the incident, the local police team reached the hospital and started investigation into the matter.
Mahesh Panchal said that he recognises one of the attackers. The accused is the son of a juice shop owner in Baba Mandi, Panchal said.
Panchal said a group of six to seven men came in a car from the direction of Dayal Hospital.
“Six to seven people got out of the car and started beating me up. One of them took out cans of some liquid substance and threw it on me and set me on fire with a matchbox. I immediately jumped into the drain by holding my nose. I came out of the drain and went to my home from where my brother Rajkumar alias Bittu Bajrangi took me to BK Hospital for treatment,” Panchal told police, reported news agency PTI.
An FIR has been registered against the accused under Sections 147 (riots), 149 (unlawful assembly), 307 (murder attempt), 326A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by acid etc) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Saran police station, PTI reported.
(With inputs from Rajesh Yadav)