Click to play videoNew Delhi: BKU leader Mahendra Singh Tikait was arrested minutes after he surrendered before authorities in Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday.
Tikait has been under fire for making derogatory remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, which
he described as a "slip of tongue".
Over 10,000 policemen and paramilitary personnel had earlier surrounded his village and his supporters, around 4,000 of them, laid siege to Sisauli village, from where he was to leave to Muzaffarnagar to surrender.
A panchayat of village leaders, which began early on Wednesday morning to discuss the issue, put forward various demands in return for Tikait's surrender, even as the district administration constantly delayed the arrest throughout Tuesday night.
According to the panchayat's decision, Tikait would surrender in Muzaffarnagar without police employing any use of force. From there, he will go to Bijnaur court where the cases against him are registered.
Tikait is facing arrest for allegedly making casteist remarks against Mayawati. However, he has showed signs of softening by expressing willingness to withdraw his remarks against the Chief Minister if she wants him to.
“The situation in the village is tense for the past three days. Mayawati is like my daughter and my remarks were not intended to hurt anyone but if they have I'm ready to withdraw them,” Tikait said.
On being asked if he would surrender he said, “I will do whatever the people want me to do.”
BKU supporters took out a procession and burnt an effigy of UP Chief Minister Mayawati at Sisoli on Tuesday.
In Lucknow, UP's Principal Home Secretary J N Chamber said that a team of senior officials had been sent to village Sisoli in Muzaffarnagar district.
"A team of senior officials including IG rank officer Gurusharan Singh and a number of magistrates and others officers have been sent to Siloli to ensure peaceful arrest of Tikait", Chamber said.
Turning the heat on the BKU leader, police have already arrested his two sons Surendra and Rakesh who have been moved to an undisclosed destination.
Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bijnor Bijendra Tyagi had on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against Tikait, against whom an FIR has been lodged under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, for his alleged remarks against Mayawati at a public meeting in Bijnor on March 30.
In view of the situation in Sisoli, the state government has sounded an alert in all the districts of Western Uttar Pradesh and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) has been deployed around BKU headquarters in the village.
Asked about reasons for delay in arresting Tikait, Chamber said the state government wanted peaceful arrest and all the arrangements were being in this regard.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.