Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad alias Ravan | Photo Credit: ANI

Saharanpur: Chandrashekhar Azad alias Ravan, the chief of the Bhim Army, was released from jail early on Friday after the Uttar Pradesh government yesterday ordered an early release for him. Ravan was jailed last year under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with 2017 Saharanpur caste violence. He came out of jail at 2:24 am today.

Ravan was welcomed by his supporters after he came out of the jail. Soon after his release, the Bhim Army chief hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government saying the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government was scared.

“The government was so scared about being rebuked by the Supreme Court, that they ordered an early release to save themselves. I'm confident that they'll frame some charges against me within 10 days. I'll ask my people to throw BJP out of power in 2019,” he told reporters.

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Ravan was arrested last year in June after police suspected him of having played a role in last year's caste violence in Saharanpur district, involving Dalits and upper caste Thakurs. Charges under the National Security Act (NSA) were slapped against him.

In the caste clashes that took place in Saharanpur in on May 5, 2017, one person was killed and 16 others were injured, including a head constable.