Hindutva influencer detained in Uttar Pradesh after alleged assault at Delhi protest
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- Uttar Pradesh police detained influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj over the alleged assault of Sanjay Kumar during a protest at Delhiโs Jantar Mantar.
- Police said Bhardwaj tried to escape before officers caught him in Bulandshahr, while protesters had demanded his arrest and stronger charges.
- Delhi Police disputed claims that Kumar suffered a skull fracture, saying he sustained a simple head injury during a scuffle.
Swatantra Bhardwaj was detained in Uttar Pradesh after police said he tried to escape in connection with the alleged assault of Sanjay Kumar, the father of student activist Nishu Aazad.
The case stems from a July 20 protest at Delhiโs Jantar Mantar. Pressure on Delhi Police grew after a viral interview clip appeared to show Bhardwaj claiming he had โcracked the skullโ of Kumar.
The Cockroach Janta Party held a protest outside the Parliament Street police station on Friday, demanding Bhardwajโs arrest. Chandrashekhar Azad, head of the Azad Samaj Party and a lawmaker from Nagina, joined the demonstration along with other supporters.
cracked the skull
Police had previously said Bhardwaj and another accused, Suraj Kumar, were detained and questioned at the protest before receiving notices. Officers said the investigation was continuing and that a chargesheet would follow. Protesters called for attempt-to-murder, criminal-intimidation and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act provisions to be added.
Delhi Police disputed the claim that Sanjay Kumar suffered a skull fracture. It said he sustained a simple head injury during a scuffle and that officers registered a case on his complaint. A police source said Kumar would undergo another medical examination after the SC/ST Act was added to the case. Further investigation would determine whether an attempt-to-murder charge was justified.
Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307. He needed 60 stitches. The man was being taken away in an ambulance in serious condition
Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.