13 arrested for attacking AAP office

Thirteen people, including national convenor of the Hindu Raksha Dal Bhupendra Tomar alias Pinky Chaudhary, were arrested for an attack Wednesday on the AAP office in this Uttar Pradesh town bordering New Delhi, police officials said.

Tomar is believed to have led the protest and vandalisation at the AAP office in Kaushambi in Ghaziabad Wednesday. He surrendered at the Indirapuram police station.

"We are against the statement made by Prashant Bhushan (on army deployment in the Kashmir Valley), and will not tolerate such statements," Tomar told IANS.

"I have committed no crime. The police came to my party office and I surrendered," he told reporters at the police station.

Police also arrested 12 other people accused of attacking the AAP office.

According to police, complaints have been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code against "unknown" assailants and the Hindu Raksha Dal.

"We have registered complaints under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and other sections of IPC," said Superintendent of Police Muni Raj.

About 30 people attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office near the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Ghaziabad, shattering window panes and vandalising furniture. Police have since decided to bring the office under security cover.