UP man booked for announcing reward for beheading farmer leader Rakesh Tikait

A man has been booked over his social media post in which he allegedly announced a reward for anyone who beheads Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait.

With the viral post sparking protests by the followers of the farmer leader in Muzaffarnagar and Meerut, a case was registered against Amit Choudhry at the Civil Lines police station in Muzaffarnagar.

Station House Officer Ashutosh Kumar Singh said on Sunday that in the viral video, the accused purportedly announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for the beheading of Tikait.

Led by the BKU's Muzaffarnagar district president Naveen Rathi, hundreds of protesters demanded immediate police action against Choudhry. Rathi said he has lodged an FIR against the accused.

In Meerut, BKU activists gheraoed Jani police station, demanding action against Choudhry. BKU Meerut district president Anurag Chaudhary led a tractor-trolley protest and staged a sit-in on the police station premises.

Police in both districts issued statements regarding the registration of FIRs but did not elaborate on the accused and reasons why he made such statements against Tikait. It is part of the probe, they said.