On Sunday (24th December), the president of Gau Raksha Bajrang Force, Bittu Bajrangi, released a video accusing Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair and Hindustan Times (HT) of peddling a fake story against his brother.
HT claimed in a report that Bittu Bajrangi’s brother faked the assault, where he sustained 60 per cent burns on his body. Zubair shared the information widely on social media and propagated it as truth. However, the police officials investigating the matter rubbished HT’s report and said that the investigation was underway.
#वामपंथी मोहम्मद जुबेर ने जो हिंदुस्तान टाइम्स का पत्रकार है वह बिगर जांच परख के मेरे बारे में फालतू बातें छाप कर गलत खबरें वह गलत अफवाह फैला रहा है उसके खिलाफ फरीदाबाद पुलिस में जल्द मुकदमा दर्ज कराऊंगा pic.twitter.com/IqaDHJQ47l
— Bittu Bajrangi (@bittubajrangi34) December 24, 2023
In his video statement, Bittu Bajrangi said, “I am facing a painful phase of conspiracy against me. Me and my family are the target of anti-social elements. Hindustan Times and Mohammed Zubair took advantage of my silence. They made false reports viral against me. The reporter who wrote the report has a communist mindset. However, in the end, she is my sister. It’s okay, sister.”
He emphasised, “The day you become a victim of Love Jihad or conspiracy-like Nikita Tomar, Bittu Bajrangi will stand with you as well. I am now coming to Mohammed Zubair, who is spreading fake news against me, though Faridabad Police have not released any statement. I will file a case against him in Faridabad. He will be questioned as per the law about the fake news he published. I will take legal action against those who published the fake news. Mohammed Zubair, a communist, is spreading fake news against me. The administration should take action against him.”
Zubair published multiple posts on social media against Bittu Bajrangi and his brother since the fake news was published by Hindustan Times. In a post on X, he wrote, “Cow vigilante #BittuBajrangi’s brother faked assault: Police.” He shared the link to the HT report in the post. However, the “fact checker” did not care to confirm if Faridabad Police gave any such statement or not.
Bittu’s statement was added on the day the report was published, where he denied the claims made in the HT report. Interestingly, Zubair shared the post on 24th December, two days after the original HT report was updated. However, Zubair conveniently ignored Bittu Bajrangi’s statement mentioned in the HT report.
On 13th December, an attempt was made on the life of Bittu Bajrangi’s brother Mahesh. The assailants poured thinner on him in Dabua Colony of Faridabad, Haryana and set him on fire. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition from where he was referred to Delhi. Mahesh sustained burn injuries on 60 per cent of his body.