Bajrang Dal worker among 10 held for vandalising Cong office in Jabalpur

The police have arrested 10 persons, including a Bajrang Dal member, for allegedly vandalising the Congress's office in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during a protest against the party's poll promise in Karnataka to act against the right-wing outfit, an official said on Friday.

Of the 10 arrested so far, Sumit Singh Thakur has been identified as the main accused, Additional Superintendent of Police Priyanka Shukla told PTI.

The official said that 25 people have been booked so far on the basis of video footage and a complaint for rampaging through the Congress city office in the Baldeo Bagh area. A case has been registered under sections 452 (trespass with intention of assaulting a person) and 147 (rioting) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, said police.

Thakur is a functionary, ‘vibhag prachar pramukh', of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Jabalpur, according to Umesh Mishra, who holds the position of ’Mahakoshal Pranth Mantri’ in the organisation. He said Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the VHP.

A local Sangh Parivar leader said Thakur has been assigned to work with the Bajrang Dal.

The Congress in its manifesto for next week's Karnataka polls, released on Tuesday, promised to take action as per law, including imposing a ban, on organisations like the Bajrang Dal and PFI “which spread hatred”.

The Jabalpur unit of the Bajrang Dal had said on Wednesday that it would stage a protest.

Before his arrest, Thakur on Thursday said they protested as the Congress ”equated a Hindu organisation that works for welfare, security and culture promotion with PFI, a jehadi organisation”.

He also denied that Bajrang Dal activists resorted to vandalism. ”They were Congress workers.... They entered our group and after covering their faces indulged in vandalism,” he claimed.

A group of people barged into their office and ransacked it, Congress leaders alleged on Thursday.

Meanwhile, videos showing men wearing saffron stoles and waving saffron flags barging into the Congress office went viral on social media.