Screen grab: X/@KumaarSaagar

NEW DELHI: Monu Manesar, the accused in the 2023 killing of cousins Junaid and Nasir, returned to his native village in Gurugram on Sunday after securing bail from a Rajasthan court. He was welcomed by the residents with drums, garlands and celebrations, locals said.Manesar, whose real name is Mohit Yadav, had been lodged in Central Jail Bharatpur in Rajasthan. He was released on Saturday after spending about two-and-a-half years in judicial custody. The Rajasthan High Court granted him regular bail on March 5, and he walked out of jail after completing legal formalities amid heavy security, police officials said, news agency PTI reported.A villager said supporters had travelled in large numbers to receive him. “Hundreds of people had travelled to Rajasthan to receive Monu,” the villager said.Manesar exited the jail at around 7.30pm wearing a bulletproof jacket. He then travelled by road to Manesar along with supporters.On reaching the village, residents gathered to welcome him. “As soon as Monu arrived in the village, people welcomed him to the beats of drums, garlanded him and carried him home in their arms,” the villager said. According to locals, the celebrations continued late into the night.

Manesar is among the accused in the deaths of Junaid (35) and his cousin Nasir (27), whose bodies were discovered inside a burnt vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district on February 16, 2023. The two men were allegedly targeted on suspicion of cow smuggling.According to PTI, family members of the victims later filed a complaint naming five people, including Manesar. Rajasthan Police subsequently arrested him from Manesar.He had also been arrested earlier in connection with the Pataudi firing case and for allegedly posting inflammatory content during the Nuh riots, though he later secured bail in those cases.