10 persons have been arrested for allegedly distributing swords to residents of Ghaziabad, after a video of the incident went viral, sparking widespread criticism from the Opposition parties.
The purported video shows members of a right-wing outfit, the Hindu Raksha Dal, distributing swords in Ghaziabad. The incident occurred on Monday (December 29, 2025). The police registered a case against at least 46 people under Sections 191(2) (guilty of rioting), 191(3) (guilty of rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death), and 127(2) (wrongful confinement) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
“The Shalimar Garden police station received information through social media that Pinky Chaudhary, the national president of the Hindu Raksha Dal, was distributing swords. The police registered a case against 16 named and 25-30 unidentified individuals. So far, 10 people have been arrested, and the investigation will continue. The law-and-order situation at the scene is normal,” said Atul Kumar Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shalimar Garden.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav asked whether there is anyone to take action against the “enemies of the country’s unity”, who are delivering weapons to people’s homes.
“Is there anyone to take action against the enemies of the country’s unity and social harmony who are delivering everything from ‘violent thoughts’ to ‘violent weapons’ to people’s homes? Violence is a sign of uncivilised people and also of weakening power,” Mr. Yadav wrote in a post on X, sharing the viral video.
Opposition Congress alleged that the incident is part of a pattern aimed at disturbing communal harmony in western of Uttar Pradesh.
“An organised pattern (of violence) is at play across Western U.P. to disturb communal harmony and terrorise minorities. This is the latest of many such incidents. Groups like Hindu Raksha Dal are not fringe groups but are supported by elements in the ruling dispensation who share similar ideologies. It not only signifies law and order collapse in U.P. but also raises questions for the judiciary to step in when the administrative mechanism fails, and the basic foundation of the republic is at stake,” said Congress national secretary Shahnawaz Alam.
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