Self-styled cow vigilante and right-wing activist Monu Manesar aka Mohit Yadav was taken into custody by the Haryana Police under the Information Technology Act on Tuesday. Monu Manesar, who is accused in the killing of two Muslim youths earlier this year, will be handed over to the Rajasthan Police. Here's a quick look at Manesar's rise to notoriety:
1. Hailing from Manesar near Guurugram, Monu Manesar alias Mohit Yadav is associated with the Bajrang Dal.
2. Linked to the murder of two alleged cow smugglers in Haryana's Bhiwani in February 2023, Monu Manesar made news recently after being linked to the communal clashes that rocked Nuh on July 31. Clashes reportedly erupted after the controversial gaurakshak's presence in the Nuh procession was confirmed.
3. Monu Manesar is infamous for his self-styled vigilantism. He reportedly stops vehicles suspected of trafficking cows at night. According to media reports, the right-wing activist has a network of sources who work late night shifts to alert him about vehicular movement at odd hours.
4. These activities are carried out under the banner of his "cow protection task force" called Goraksha Dal.
5. With over 83,000 followers on Facebook and two lakh subscribers on YouTube, he reportedly live streams his vigilantism.
6. In February, a police chargesheet named Monu Manesar after two youngsters from Bharatpur district of Rajasthan were found dead in Haryana. The bodies of Nasir and Junaid were recovered along with a charred car in Loharu of Bhiwani. It was reported that the two men were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes on February 15. Rajasthan Police had said that Monu Manesar's role in hatching a conspiracy and abetting the crime was under investigation.
