ISLAMABAD: Rights group Hindutva Watch flagged on Monday what it described as a celebratory public reception for cow vigilante Monu Manesar after his release on bail in the 2023 Junaid-Nasir double murder case, highlighting fresh concern over the public glorification of an accused in one of India’s most contentious vigilante violence cases.
Monu Manesar, whose real name is Mohit Yadav, was released from Sevar Central Jail in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, after the Rajasthan High Court granted him bail, reported The Quint.
He was freed in a bullet-proof vest amid heavy security, with police deployment outside the jail as supporters gathered at the site.
The case relates to the killings of Junaid, 35, and Nasir, 27, two Muslim cousins from Rajasthan whose charred bodies were found inside a burned vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district in February 2023, Times of India reported.
The case was registered on the complaint of a relative at Gopalgarh police station in Deeg district of Rajasthan.
An Indian journalist and published author, Ankur Bhardwaj, commented on the news of celebration of Manesar's release, calling it "sick."
According to court reporting cited by Indian outlets, Manesar had spent about two and a half years in judicial custody before being granted bail.
The Quint reported that the High Court took note of the length of incarceration and the slow pace of trial proceedings.
Reports said a large number of prosecution witnesses are still yet to be examined, meaning the trial remains far from conclusion.
Following his release, Indian media reported celebratory scenes involving supporters.
Bhaskar English reported that Manesar was accompanied by a convoy as he returned to Haryana, while the social media video cited by the user appears to show supporters greeting him enthusiastically after his release.
This development comes as part of normalization of vigilante violence in India.
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