Tikait, others stage dharna to protest arrest of BKU members

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait and other union leaders and activists staged a dharna inside the Muzaffarnagar kotwali on Tuesday to protest the arrest of union members after a brawl with hotel staff on Monday night.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait and other union leaders and activists on Tuesday staged a dharna inside the Muzaffarnagar kotwali to protest against the arrest of some union members after a brawl with some hotel staffers on Monday night.

The dharna was continuing till last reports came in even as talks with police were underway to resolve the issue.

Tikait accused the police of taking wrongful action against the BKU activists and demanded their release.

Senior superintendent of police, Muzaffarnagar, Abhishek Yadav Saud that seven BKU activists, who went on a rampage in the district hospital on Monday night, were sent to jail.

“Talks are underway with Tikait to resolve the issue,” he said.

BKU’s media in charge Dharmendra Malik said two union members were beaten up by the owners and staffers of a hotel in Muzaffarnagar on Monday night. Police took members of both sides to the district hospital for their medical examination. Meanwhile, a few other BKU members from Titawi village reached there to enquire about the incident. Malik, however, did not mention about the ‘rampage’ in the district hospital, as alleged by the SSP.

Malik accused the police of taking wrongful action against BKU activists.

When information reached Tikait, he reached the kotwali with other union leaders and activists on Tuesday morning and demanded release of the arrested activists. He accused the police of being biased against union activists and then sat on a dharna, which was continuing till last reports came in.