After dodging arrest for four days, self-proclaimed Noida-based politician Shrikant Tyagi, who is accused of abusing and assaulting a woman at a Noida housing society, has finally been arrested from Meerut.
According to a Noida police official, Tyagi, who was arrested on Tuesday along with three of his supporters, is being brought back to Noida to conduct an inquiry in the case.
A senior police official said that the accused was trying to be in touch with his wife and his lawyer. He was using different phone numbers to evade arrest. However, a vigilant police team managed to trace him out. Once his location was discovered, the police team raided and arrested him from Meerut. He carried a reward of Rs. 25,000 on his head.
Meanwhile, his wife was called for questioning by the police for the second consecutive day. If reports are to be believed, proceedings are being initiated against him for defaulting GST payment.
In a recent viral video, Tyagi was seen assaulting and abusing a woman at Grand Omaxe housing society in Noida’s Sector-93. Ever since, he went underground as the police were looking out for him. A self-styled politician, who relates himself to the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) despite the ruling party’s denial of having any links with him, the accused was found involved in a verbal spat with a woman over the plantation of palm trees.
The matter came to light on Friday when several video clippings of the incident went viral on social media in which Tyagi could be heard hurling abuses at the woman. It has also been claimed that he physically assaulted the victim.
The woman who was abused by Tyagi said “I live in Grand Omaxe. I noticed Shrikant Tyagi, who resides in a ground floor apartment, encroaching on the common area of the society by planting small and large plants. When I asked him to remove it, he refused to do so and as I tried to remove them personally, he hurled abuses at me, my husband and kids.”
The Uttar Pradesh Government, which seems to be in no mood to let go of Tyagi, went on a bulldozer action on Monday on the illegal construction done outside his house situated on the ground floor of Grand Omaxe.
The demolition action was carried out at around 9 am by the Noida Authority amid loud cheers from the residents of the society. The residents even distributed sweets to celebrate the occasion. Locals were overheard saying that the actions came by only after the aides of Tyagi barged into the Grand Omaxe society and created a ruckus.
Meanwhile, the entire episode around Shrikant Tyagi, which got national attention, divided the residents with one group supporting Tyagi and accusing the authorities of being too harsh on him and his family, and the other applauding the action against him.
Later on Tuesday, a senior police official informed that the Uttar Pradesh Police suspended six police personnel for negligence in the case. The tainted cops included the local police station in-charge, a sub-inspector and four constables. As a measure to ensure the safety of the complainant, two personal security officers have been assigned to her.
It is being said that Tyagi has a criminal background and is said to be involved in at least nine criminal cases ranging from attempted murder to extortion and others. A case in the Goonda Act was also registered against him.
A source close to the CM office said that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has sought all the information in the matter.