‘Delhi-Dehradun Highway Not For Muslims’: How Trio's Arrest Brought Hindu Raksha Group In Spotlight

Last Updated:March 13, 2026, 19:10 IST

Police officials said the three accused — two women and a man — are residents of Dehradun in neighbouring Uttarakhand

Taking note of a viral video, the police have arrested two women and a man who allegedly wrote ‘This Delhi-Dehradun highway is not meant for Muslims’ on roadside structures along the national highway in Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh.

The trio claimed to be associated with the Hindu Raksha Dal. A court on Friday sent the three accused to judicial custody.

The incident and the viral clip

According to police, the incident took place in the jurisdiction of the Bihari Garh police station along National Highway-72A, an elevated stretch connecting Delhi and Dehradun. Investigators said the graffiti was written on the evening of February 26.

Police officials said the three accused — two women and a man — are residents of Dehradun in neighbouring Uttarakhand. They allegedly travelled to the highway and began spray-painting slogans on cemented blocks and roadside structures.

The slogans were written in both Hindi and English. They read: “This road is not allowed for Muslims." A video of the act, around 59 seconds long, later surfaced on social media and quickly drew attention, prompting police to launch an investigation.

The footage shows two women wearing saffron scarves around their necks writing the slogans on the highway railing using spray paint. One of the women appears to write the message in English while the other writes it in Hindi. A man accompanying them is seen filming the entire act.

After finishing the graffiti, the women are also heard raising slogans of “Jai Shri Ram." Towards the end of the clip, a red Maruti Swift car with a Uttarakhand registration plate is visible near the spot. Police believe the vehicle was used by the accused to reach the location.

Investigators said the viral video helped police identify the suspects and trace them.

What the arrested accused said

Following their arrest, one of the women defended the act and said they were ready to face the consequences. “We are ready to go to jail not just once, but even ten times for Sanatan," she told reporters while being taken into custody.

Meanwhile, the organisation the accused claim to be associated with also publicly backed the act.

Bhupendra alias Pinky Chaudhary, the national president of the Hindu Raksha Dal, said the slogans had been written by women members of the organisation. “These slogans were written by our women workers," Chaudhary said, asserting that the group stood by the action.

The outfit and controversy

The outfit has previously courted controversy. In September 2025, a video from Ghaziabad’s Shalimar Garden area triggered outrage after members of the same organisation were seen distributing swords and axes to residents, claiming the weapons were meant for “self-defence."

The 21-second clip showed several men carrying swords and chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai." They stopped outside a house and handed a sword to a resident, telling him it was meant to protect his “sisters and daughters". “If a situation like Bangladesh arises, use this to protect yourself from non-believers," one of the men allegedly said in the video.

The resident accepted the sword and touched it to his forehead as the group raised slogans of “Jai Shri Ram." The video prompted a police probe. In January this year, police arrested Pinky Chaudhary along with his son in connection with the case, while at least ten other people had already been taken into custody.

Authorities had also detained several individuals who had accepted swords during the distribution drive, including a security guard from a housing society.

His wife later told reporters that her husband had not asked for the weapon. “My husband was sleeping when they came and handed him the sword. Later the police came and took him away as well," she said.

Police action

The latest Saharanpur incident has once again brought attention to the activities of the group and raised concerns over provocative messaging in public spaces.

Police officials said further investigation is underway and additional legal provisions related to promoting enmity and disturbing communal harmony could be invoked.

Authorities have also begun removing the slogans from the highway structures as part of the clean-up operation. Investigators are now examining the viral video and other evidence to determine whether more individuals were involved in planning or facilitating the act.

News explainers ‘Delhi-Dehradun Highway Not For Muslims’: How Trio's Arrest Brought Hindu Raksha Group In Spotlight

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