Ghaziabad: The district president of the Hindu
Yuva Vahini was arrested on Thursday evening in connection with an FIR lodged against him in October last year after a video purportedly showing him firing a few shots in the air during
Diwali became viral on social media.
Jitendra Tyagi was subsequently released from the police station itself on a surety that he would be present whenever the court summoned him.
For a few days after Diwali, a video purportedly showing Tyagi and his children firing shots in the air was being widely circulated on the social media. The police had taken suo motu cognisance of the video and registered an FIR against Tyagi under Sections 25/3 and 29 of the Arms Act.
The Hindu Vahini leader was since declared an absconder in police records. It was only when Tyagi arrived at the Sihani Gate police station on Thursday evening to mediate between two groups who had clashed over some issue that he was arrested.
“As the offence attracted less than seven years in jail, he was released from the police station itself. Tyagi was released on a bond under Section 170 (2) (to appear before the magistrate as and when required) of the CrPC after a notice was issued to him under Section 41 (1) (arresting an accused involved in a cognisable office without warrant by police) of the CrPC,” a police officer said.
Asked why the police hadn’t taken any action against Tyagi for so long, SHO (Sihani Gate)
Vinod Kumar Pandey said: “The accused, Jitendra Tyagi, had been absconding since the video went viral. He was arrested soon after he came to the police station.”
The 1.12-minute video that was circulated last year purportedly showed the Hindu Vahini leader dressed in a red T-shirt and dark-coloured shorts and firing in the air with what looked like a rifle. Another man could be seen firing in the air with a pistol.
Sources said there were allegations that political intervention had prevented the police from acting against the leader for so long. The
Hindu Yuva Vahini is a vigilante group founded by Yogi Aditya Nath.
