Madhuaram Sharan Shiva, leader of the armed monk group Shiva Shakti Akhada who has been leading a campaign to arm Hindus, met cow vigilantes Daksh Chaudhary, Prakash Singh, and Akku Pandit—accused of multiple attacks on Muslims—and gifted them swords. They urged Hindus to keep sharp weapons to defend against alleged threats from “jihadis” and “kathmullas.”