Raj Kumar, also known as Bittu Bajrangi, was previously a fruit and vegetable seller based in Dabua Mandi, Faridabad, Haryana. He is now a prominent Hindu extremist leader and cow vigilante. While Bajrangi claims to have dedicated the past two decades to “cow protection” and combating “love jihad,” he shot to nationwide prominence recently, after his viral hate speeches played a key role in triggering an outbreak of anti-Muslim violence across Haryana state, resulting in at least six deaths, massive property damage, and the displacement of several Muslim families across various regions in southern Haryana.

Bajrangi was publicly disowned by the Hindu militant group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the parent organization of the Bajrang Dal, following his arrest in connection with the Haryana violence. Around the time of his arrest, a photo surfaced, allegedly depicting Bajrangi wearing the uniform of the Hindu paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a claim yet to be refuted by Hindu right-wing organizations.

In 2016-17, Bajrangi established the Goraksha Bajrang Force, a cow vigilante group, and inaugurated a cow shelter in Faridabad, Haryana. In an interview, he proudly acknowledged his group’s efforts in protecting cows from what he termed as “predators,” referring to Muslims. Additionally, he claimed to have implicated multiple Muslim men in ‘love jihad’ cases, resulting in their continued incarceration.

Identifying himself as ‘Jihadiyon ka jija‘ (brother-in-law of Jihadis), Bajrangi has a history of spreading hatred against Muslims through participation in hate rallies, disseminating inflammatory content on social media platforms, and encouraging boycotts against Muslims. He is named in at least five cases registered across different locations, including charges related to inciting religious animosity and disrupting communal harmony. 

Bajrangi is also closely associated with Monu Manesar, a prominent cow vigilante accused of orchestrating the gruesome murder and burning of two Muslim men in Haryana on allegations of cow smuggling. During the VHP’s ‘Shobha Yatra’ in Haryana in July 2023, an event championed by Manesar that would quickly lead to statewide anti-Muslim violence, Bajrangi was observed alongside a mob brandishing lethal weapons and issuing threats to Muslims through inflammatory slogans and incitements to violence.

A day prior to the outbreak of violence in Haryana, Bajrangi uploaded a threatening video, daring Muslims to stand in the path of the rally: “Don’t complain that your brother in law came and returned without meeting you. We are coming with one hundred and fifty vehicles, fully equipped. Keep the garlands ready to welcome us, we are coming.”

During their journey to Nuh, Haryana, local authorities attempted to halt Bajrangi and his group, who were wielding weapons and chanting inflammatory slogans. However, Bajrangi and his armed associates retaliated, attacking the police, reclaiming the confiscated weapons, and fleeing the scene.

On August 15, 2023, following a high-stakes pursuit, local law enforcement apprehended Bajrangi from his residence in Faridabad, Haryana. According to police, Bajrangi is believed to have triggered the violence in Nuh, and has subsequently been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act, including accusations of rioting, unlawful assembly, obstruction of public servants, assault, robbery, and criminal intimidation. Despite the severity of the charges, a local court granted him bail within fifteen days of his arrest. 

Bajrangi enjoys apparent support from politicians, as evidenced by numerous pictures on an Instagram account linked to his name, featuring photos of his interactions with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, as well as other BJP leaders such as Pragya Singh Thakur and Kapil Mishra. His social media accounts are replete with anti-Muslim rhetoric, images flaunting weapons, and depictions of hate rallies targeting the Muslim community.