Tikait leaves court arena, administration takes sigh of relief

Lucknow, Apr 2 (UNI) The administration breathed a sigh of relief after Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Mahendra Singh Tikait finally agreed to leave the Bijnore court precincts.

Notwithstanding being released on bail by a Bijnore court, Tikait refused to leave the court arena suspecting terror on life.

Talking to UNI here tonight, ADG (Law and Order, STF) Brijlal said the farmers' leader has left the court compound and left for Muzaffarnagar along with his supporters.

With the return of peace, a posse of police, garrisoned in Sisauli village for the last couple of days, had been removed, he informed.

After being released on bail by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Bijnore, the BKU leader had this evening refused to leave the court premises suspecting fear of police encounter.

After three days of pressure building tactics by Uttar Pradesh police, Tikait, charged with using objectionable langugage against Chief Minister Mayawati, surrendered before Bijnore court today.

He charged with for using objectionable remarks on Mayawati in a rally in Bijnore on March 30 last.

Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against him but the police's attempts to arrest him failed due to stiff resistance from BKU workers who indulged in violence to repulse the police action.

Several policemen were injured during three day-stand off between the administration and BKU members before the state government deployed a team of senior officers only yesterday to effect his arrest. Rakesh and Surendra, two sons of BKU chief were also arrested for inciting the mob against the police.

All the political parties including the main opposition Samajwadi Party had come out in support of the BKU leader and condemned the Mayawati government's action against him.

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