Bajrang Dal Members Released on Bail After Mall Vandalism Incident
Bajrang Dal Workers Granted Bail
On December 24, six members of the Bajrang Dal were detained for allegedly vandalizing Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. A sessions court granted them bail on Wednesday, as reported by a local news outlet.
Following their release on Thursday, the men were greeted with garlands by fellow Bajrang Dal supporters. They participated in a procession where they were carried on shoulders while chanting slogans against Christian missionaries.
Six Bajrang Dal members, who had forcibly entered Raipur's Magneto Mall and vandalised Christmas decorations, were released on bail. Following their release, they were given a hero's welcome, with drums, garlands, and celebratory music while slogans of 'Isai Missionary Murdabad'… https://t.co/lyAdWJOzDA pic.twitter.com/SHTzqYJZK1
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Rishi Mishra, the state coordinator for Bajrang Dal, defended the procession, stating that it was appropriate to celebrate the release of their members. He claimed that the incident was tied to issues surrounding religious conversions in Chhattisgarh, alleging that a conspiracy led to their arrest.
Social media footage captured the moment when a group armed with sticks stormed the Magneto Mall, destroying Christmas decorations just before the holiday.
The arrests occurred on December 27, following the vandalism. Initially, a magistrate court denied bail to the accused two days later.
Charges were filed at the Telibandha Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including trespassing and rioting.
This vandalism coincided with a state-wide strike called by a Hindutva group protesting against alleged illegal religious conversions in Chhattisgarh, which followed communal clashes on December 16 and 17 over a Christian burial in Kanker district.
Violence erupted again in the village on December 18, as a mob breached police barricades. Additionally, several other incidents targeting Christians or disrupting Christmas celebrations were reported across the country in December.