NEW DELHI: Swatantra Bharadwaj, accused of assaulting a student’s father during a protest at Jantar Mantar, fled Bulandshahr hours after the Delhi Police assured the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) that he would be arrested, sources told news agency PTI on Friday.According to PTI, Bharadwaj left Naithla village on a Bullet motorcycle towards Khurja and was wearing a helmet to conceal his identity.Several police teams in plain clothes were deployed to locate him. During the search, police also questioned local journalists. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend Bharadwaj.The development follows the circulation of a video clip from an interview with Bharadwaj in which he claimed to have “cracked the skull” of Sanjay Kumar, father of student Nishu Azad, during a protest at Jantar Mantar.The CJP staged another protest in the capital on Friday, gathering at the Parliament Street police station to demand action against Bharadwaj. The protesters dispersed after police assured them that he would be arrested within 72 hours.Party representatives said police had informed them that Bharadwaj, who boasted in an interview that he had cracked the skull of a student protester’s father and got away with it, would be booked under charges of attempted murder and criminal intimidation, as well as under the SC/ST Act.They also said a separate FIR would be registered over online abuse and objectionable images targeting the assault victim’s daughter.“After the addition of the SC/ST Act, the victim will undergo another medical examination. Further investigation will be conducted to determine whether a charge under the attempt-to-murder section is required,” a police source said.CJP co-convener Saurav Das said Delhi Police must ensure that those responsible for violence were not allowed to go unpunished.“Goons like Swatantra Bharadwaj came to Jantar Mantar. Did Delhi Police not identify them? He committed attempt to murder,” Das said.“Delhi Police has assured action in 72 hours. If they don’t fulfil the commitment, we will have to come back. We are standing with the students,” he said.The protesters included Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief and MP Chandra Shekhar Azad and CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka. They accused Delhi Police of going soft on Bharadwaj.Security was stepped up around the police station, with additional personnel deployed and barricades put up.Ranka alleged that Sanjay had suffered head injuries, including a skull fracture.Delhi Police, however, disputed that Sanjay had suffered a skull fracture. Police said he sustained a minor injury during a scuffle and that a case had been registered on his complaint.Ranka alleged that Bharadwaj had openly admitted to assaulting Sanjay and attempting to kill him, but claimed that no action was taken because of the influence of BJP workers and Delhi minister Kapil Mishra.Das alleged that while protesters were holding a peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar, members of a criminal gang reached the site and resorted to violence.“After the FIR was registered, we continued putting pressure on the police, saying that this was an attempt to murder and that the relevant section should be added,” he added.“We also demanded that the SC/ST Act be invoked because they (the victims) belong to a Dalit family,” he said.Speaking to reporters, Nishu alleged that she faced verbal abuse and rape threats after complaining about the assault on her father and filing an FIR.“I was ashamed of even stepping out. For a few weeks I could not go to school, I feel everyone is judging me. I hope police will take action,” she said.
What did Swatantra Bharadwaj claim?
In the one-hour interview, which is available on YouTube, Bharadwaj also claimed to have political connections.“I have the blessings of Hanuman upon me. And secondly, Kapil Mishra is my elder brother. They say Kapil Mishra called and I was released. Chirag Paswan is my elder brother. How many leaders do you know? Do you know Modi ji? Modi ji is also my elder brother. I have everyone’s support,” he said.Das called on senior BJP leaders to respond to the claims.“If the goon is openly saying Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan made the calls and he was released, top leaders of BJP should clarify on this,” he said.The CJP said it would return to the police station if Delhi Police failed to fulfil the assurances given to the delegation.
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