Man who attacked nursing student’s party externed under Goonda Act

Bareilly: UP Police externed Rishabh Thakur -- a former Bajrang Dal member seen in a recent video barging into a nursing student's birthday event and assaulting her friends from the minority community -- from Bareilly district for six months under Goonda Act with "immediate effect". After his release from jail, Thakur was escorted out of the district by local cops on Thursday.Bareilly SSP Anurag Arya told TOI: "Considering the man's criminal antecedents, action under the Goonda Act was taken against him. He was released from jail two days ago, and prohibited from entering the district." Police added Thakur was dropped at Budaun district border, and strictly warned not to enter the Bareilly district during the externment period.On Dec 27, Thakur with a few aides had barged into the café in Bareilly where the nursing student was celebrating her birthday with her friends, including two male students from the minority community. The accused and his men also created ruckus, and allegedly assaulted the woman's friends, accusing them of "love jihad". A purported video of that assault was widely shared online.Following the incident, police registered an FIR. However, Thakur went absconding. Police subsequently obtained a non-bailable warrant against him from the court and pasted a notice at his house. On Jan 16, Thakur surrendered before the court following social media backlash, after which he was sent to judicial custody. He was granted bail on completion of the custody period, following which the externment action was taken.Projecting himself as a cow vigilante, Thakur was earlier associated with the Bajrang Dal. However, after the café incident, the right-wing organisation issued a statement claiming that "he had already been expelled".