Politician Shrikant Tyagi Likely to Surrender After Cops Announce Rs 25,000 for His Info; Bulldozer Action At His Noida Residence

Amid a massive manhunt by Noida Police underway to nab self-proclaimed BJP leader Shrikant Tyagi who was seen assaulting a woman at a housing complex, security has been beefed up at the Surajpur court in Greater Noida where Tyagi?s lawyer is said to have now filed a surrender application.

Sources said that the court has fixed August 10 for Shrikant Tyagi?s application.

Uttarakhand DGP said that police sources have found Shrikant Tyagi?s last location to be Rishikesh. ?I instructed SSPs of Dehradun-Haridwar that if Noida Police seek any cooperation in arresting him, Dehradun and Haridwar Police will cooperate, Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said.

Shrikant Tyagi, who identified himself as the national executive member of the BJP?s Kisan Morcha and national co-coordinator of its Yuva Samiti, was seen abusing and heckling a woman at Noida Sector 93?s Grand Omaxe society last week and went missing after videos of the incident went viral.

The BJP, however, has so far distanced itself from Tyagi and his claims of being associated with the party.

While a Rs 25,000 reward has been announced for information on the absconding self-proclaimed politician, Noida Police is also reportedly coordinating with other police forces to nab him. As per available information, 12 teams have been formed to trace Shrikant Tyagi who has been on the run since the video of him abusing a woman at Noida?s Grand Omaxe society went viral.

Around 50 premises have been raided so far to find him, sources said.

Meanwhile, bulldozers were on Monday sent to Grand Omaxe in Noida?s Sector 93 where Shrikant Tyagi had abused and assaulted the woman. The JCBs, on Noida administration?s orders, demolished illegal constructions at Shrikant Tyagi?s residence at the housing complex.

The Noida Police on Saturday said they had detained four close associates and impounded two vehicles of the absconding politician and also lodged another FIR against him.

Noida MLA Pankaj Tyagi said on Monday that Tyagi will be arrested soon, adding that ?this attitude will not be tolerated?. Singh said that action will be taken against all of Shrikant Tyagi?s illegal properties and added that residents at  Noida?s Grand Omaxe society have made complaints against him and the bulldozer action was to address the same.

Tyagi was booked under Indian Penal Code section 354 (assault or use of criminal force on any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty) on Friday over a spat with a co-resident of their housing society in Sector 93B.

The woman objected to plantation of some trees by Shrikant Tyagi, citing violation of rules even as he claimed he was within his rights to do so.

?We had responded immediately after the episode came to light and an FIR was lodged accordingly. Today [Saturday], during further investigation into the matter, four close associates of Shrikant Tyagi were detained for questioning,? Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (law and order) Ranvijay Singh had said on Saturday.

?The police team that went to the spot found three vehicles of Tyagi there. Two of them were found violating the Motor Vehicle Act and were impounded. The third vehicle, a Toyota Fortuner, had the official symbol of the Uttar Pradesh government on it but in violation of rules,? he added.

A separate FIR has been lodged for misuse of government symbol,? Singh said.

Multiple videos of Friday?s episode surfaced on social media, purportedly showing Tyagi hurling expletives and assaulting the woman. He also hurled abusive words for her husband and made derogatory remarks about her.

Meanwhile, Gautam Buddh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma and BJP?s Noida unit chief Mahesh Gupta visited the Grand Omaxe society and met the local residents on Sunday. They told the residents that Tyagi is not a member of the BJP and assured their party?s support.

Tyagi?s ?Henchmen? Barge Into Noida Housing Complex, Threaten Woman

In another development, seven people were arrested after some henchmen of Shrikant Tyagi entered Grand Omaxe society late on Sunday night and started threatening the woman who had filed a case of indecency and molestation.

Around 12 henchmen of Shrikant Tyagi had entered the Grand Omaxe Society late on Sunday night and started threatening the woman. When the people of the society gathered on hearing the noise, the henchmen misbehaved with them and beat them up.

Hundreds of people gathered as soon as the incident was reported. Amid the chaos, five accused escaped while seven were arrested by the police.

Apart from the seven arrests, six Noida Police personnel have been suspended on account of lapses in security at Grand Omaxe society over the Sunday incident.

Security of the woman who was abused and heckled by Shrikant Tyagi has also been beefed up following the Sunday incident.

Congress, AAP Slam BJP Over Shrikant Tyagi Episode

Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Uttar Pradesh have slammed the BJP over the Shrikant Tyagi?s assault on the woman. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Monday took a swipe at the BJP after the bulldozer action and said, ?Did the BJP government not know for so many years that the construction of the Noida BJP leader is illegal??

Bulldozer action is ostentatious, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, adding that the government is avoiding the answers to these questions.

?Who is giving him the courage to threaten women and sending 10-15 goons? Who is it that kept saving him?? Priyanka Gandhi asked in her tweet.

At a press conference in Noida on Sunday, Congress?s Pankhuri Pathak shared pictures of Tyagi with senior BJP leaders as she hit out at the party for ?anti-women? attitude.

She also accused the BJP of ?lying through their teeth? over Tyagi?s association with the party. ?Today the BJP is saying Shrikant Tyagi is not member of the party. But he was moving around with a security staff that not even MLAs or ministers have. One can imagine the clout he had in this government,? Pathak said.

AAP?s Gautam Buddh Nagar unit chief Bhupendra Jadaun also shared pictures of Tyagi with senior BJP leaders and other documents to claim his association with the saffron party.

He also accused the BJP of lying, spreading misinformation in order to save its member. On Friday evening, Tyagi had told PTI that the woman’s claims were untrue and she had first instigated the spat. He had also claimed that the matter was blowing out of proportion because of his association with the BJP.

Gautam Buddh Nagar BJP MP Dr Mahesh Sharma on Monday reiterated that Shrikant Tyagi has no links with the party. ?Shrikant Tyagi has no relation in any way with our party, it has been made clear by our district president and different units of the party. I have not seen him since last 15 years,? Sharma said.

He added that Tyagi has made a ?big mistake? and that the state government will take strictest possible action.

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