Hindu Raksha Dal vandalises non-veg eatery on Delhi‑Haridwar highway; 3 arrested
Members of Hindu Raksha Dal vandalised a non‑vegetarian outlet on the Delhi‑Haridwar highway near Muzaffarnagar. Three were arrested; 15‑20 others face charges under BNS.
Police arrested three members of Hindu Raksha Dal after they allegedly removed and burnt signboards at a non‑veg eatery on the Delhi‑Haridwar highway. A case has been registered against 15‑20 members for rioting and property damage.
Hindu Raksha Dal, Delhi-Haridwar highway, Muzaffarnagar, non-veg vandalism, Panch Ka Pash, Kanwar yatra, BNS, police arrest, property damage, Uttar Pradesh
Police in Muzaffarnagar arrested three members of the Hindu Raksha Dal after they allegedly vandalised a non‑vegetarian eatery on the Delhi‑Haridwar National Highway. The incident occurred near Sisona village, within the jurisdiction of Chhapar police station, on Monday night.
According to authorities, the group targeted the signboards of King Chicken Corner, a non‑veg outlet operating in the same premises as a confectionery named Shri Badri Vishal and a dining hall called Shri Badri Vishal Bhojnalaya. The owners claim that the chocolate confectionery had rented a portion of the building to Azad Chaudhary for the chicken outlet.
Police said a case was registered under sections related to rioting, property damage, criminal intimidation and voluntary hurt. The charges point to the removal and burning of signboards, as well as alleged manhandling of workers, causing an estimated loss of ₹20,000.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sanjay Verma noted that 15‑20 members of the Hindu Raksha Dal are being charged under the BNS. Three members—Hemant Sharma, Abhishek Sharma and Ashish Sharma—all in their early 20s, were taken into custody.
Hemant Sharma, the youth district president of the group, stated that the signboard bearing the name “Shri Badri Vishal” was deemed inappropriate and offensive by the faction. He claimed the removal of the boards was carried out with the staff’s consent and was recorded on video. Sharma also identified an individual present at the site as Sandeep, who was later said to be Azad Chaudhary.
Azad Chaudhary mentioned that he had already planned to shut the outlet before the Kanwar yatra and vacate the premises a month in advance. He alleged that the group removed and burnt the restaurant’s banners, and that he was pushed and manhandled during the incident.
Last year, Uttar Pradesh police had issued notices to supporters of an ashram leader who allegedly conducted an unauthorised drive to verify the identity and religion of workers on the Kanwar yatra route. That group, which runs the ‘Pehchan Abhiyan’ campaign, argues that several food outlets use Hindu names despite being operated by people from other communities.
The incident has heightened tensions ahead of the annual Kanwar yatra, with authorities urging calm and monitoring the situation closely.
