A woman alleged misbehaviour with her by some men at a mall in Noida and police bias in the case before changing her stance, even as Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday slammed the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over women's safety.
Mr Yadav also suggested that the woman changed her statement under pressure.
The Noida police on Tuesday night said they have arrested four men — two from each side — involved in the August 4 incident that took place at a bar in Gardens Galleria mall in Sector 38A under Sector 39 police station limits.
The woman, who took to social media to highlight the issue, on Tuesday said that she may have posted the video due to "provocation" and was now "satisfied" with the police action in the case.
In her first video shared on social media, Anju Yadav said she had gone to the mall with her husband and brother-in-law when she was misbehaved with by some men there.
She also alleged that a woman from the other side involved in the incident had relatives working in the police department.
"What the men who were along with her did to me would have made any husband or brother-in-law angry and they also showed their anger and shouted at her. That woman threatened of implicating us in a police case," Anju claimed in the first video.
She also alleged police bias against her side in handling the situation as compared to the other side.
ये है नोयडा की एक बहू की पुकार। उप्र में बहन, बेटी, बहू कोई भी सुरक्षित नहीं है क्योंकि थाने, शासन-प्रशासन द्वारा दिये गये ‘आर्थिक लक्ष्यों' की पूर्ति में लगे हैं।
प्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री जी के लिए, इससे शर्मनाक बात और क्या हो सकती है कि प्रदेश की एक नारी सिसकी भरभर कर अपने… pic.twitter.com/lbfiy0fq1K— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 6, 2024
However, in the second video, Anju said there was an altercation with the other group at the mall on the night of August 4.
"The matter escalated and police were called in who took us to the police post. Both sides reached compromise after mutual consent. The video I posted on social media yesterday, perhaps I did that in provocation. But now we are satisfied with the action of the police," she said.
The Noida police said on X that the incident is about an altercation between two parties inside a pub in Gardens Galleria mall.
"Women from both the parties were present on the spot. A case has been registered against both the parties and an inquiry is being conducted. Fair and strict action will be taken in this matter," police said.
On Tuesday night, police said they have arrested four men –" two each from both sides — as counter FIRs were lodged under relevant provisions of the law.
"It is to inform that on the night of August 4, a fight broke out between two parties at a bar in Garden Galleria. They initially reached a mutual settlement. Today, however, both parties have filed complaints against each other at the police station. FIRs have been registered under relevant sections based on the complaints from both sides," a police spokesperson said.
"One party includes Anju Yadav, her husband Salman Ali, and brother-in-law Hammaz. The other party includes Ankita Singh, Anup Shukla, and Keshav Sharma. Two people from each side, Salman and Hammaz, as well as Keshav and Anup, have been arrested. Necessary legal proceedings are underway," the official said.
Meanwhile, SP president Akhilesh Yadav slammed the UP government over the incident as he shared the first video of the woman.
"This is the cry of a daughter-in-law from Noida. In UP, no sister, daughter, daughter-in-law is safe because police stations are busy fulfilling the 'economic targets' given by the government and administration.
"For the Chief Minister of the state, what can be more shameful than a woman of the state sobbing and pleading through a video to protect her honour. BJP has become synonymous with a corrupt system," the former UP CM posted on X in Hindi.
Later, in a cryptic X post, Mr Yadav once again slammed the government, apparently referring to the woman's change of stance.
