Cow vigilante Monu Manesar, who was booked by Rajasthan Police for the murder of two Muslim men in February and is also accused of inciting communal hatred in home state Haryana, was arrested Tuesday, officials said.
He was handed over to Rajasthan Police after it obtained a transit remand for him from a court in Haryana's Nuh.
The arrest was made by the Nuh police, reportedly in Gurugram's Manesar.
A pistol, three live bullets and a mobile phone were seized from Manesar, police said. They are checking if the pistol is licensed.
Nuh police said they informed neighbouring states and districts about the arrest, following standard procedure. Deeg district in Rajasthan adjoins Nuh.
Manesar, whose official name is Mohit Yadav, was accused by some of being a trigger for the July 31 episode, in which a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was targeted by mobs in Nuh -- leading to the deaths of six people in that district and neighbouring Gurugram.
However, the first information report (FIR) registered by the Nuh police is related to a message he posted on social media amid plans by the VHP to take out another procession on August 28 to 'resume' the disrupted yatra.
The Nuh police said the post attempted to create disharmony between groups on the basis of religion and wounded religious sentiments. It allegedly used objectionable language.
The local authorities had denied permission for this second yatra.
In Rajasthan's Deeg district, Manesar was accused of being part of a conspiracy to abduct and kill two men after branding them cow smugglers.
In February, Nasir (25) and Junaid (35) were allegedly abducted from Rajasthan's Bharatpur district, from an area which is now part of Deeg after the state government recently created more districts.
Their bodies were found in a burnt car in Loharu in Haryana's Bhiwani the next morning.
Rajasthan Police last month said Manesar's role in hatching a conspiracy and abetting the crime was 'under active investigation'.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also told reporters that his government would provide any assistance Rajasthan Police required to nab Manesar.
Bharatpur Inspector General of Police Rupinder Singh said a team from Deeg went to Nuh on Tuesday after learning about Manesar's arrest.
"He was produced in the court by the Nuh police and Rajasthan Police also moved an application to seek his custody. The court granted his custody to Rajasthan Police and he is now being taken from Nuh to Deeg," he said in the evening.
Earlier, Manesar was under the scanner over a video that surfaced online before the Nuh violence.
Asked about the clip days later, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had said, "I have seen that video, nowhere is he instigating people to riot... he is asking people to join the yatra."
Haryana Police, however, had said Manesar's role in the July 31 would be investigated.
The Nuh case on the new social media post is being investigated by the district's cyber crime unit.
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Manesar 'innocent gau bhakt', his arrest will cost Cong: VHP
The VHP, meanwhile, described Manesar as an 'innocent gau bhakt (cow worshipper)' and alleged that the Congress government in Rajasthan got him arrested ahead of assembly polls in the state with an eye on Muslim votes.
In a statement, VHP working president Alok Kumar said his arrest by the Rajasthan Police will cost the ruling Congress 'heavily' in the state.
The VHP will provide all possible help to Monu Manesar and 'if necessary, will also protest' against his arrest, he added.
"Innocent gau bhakt Monu Manesar has been arrested by the Rajasthan Police, whereas it had considered him innocent some time ago," Kumar claimed.
"Gau bhakt Monu has been arrested for the Muslim vote bank in the elections, which will cost them (Congress) heavily," he added.
