Three persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly physically assaulting a food vendor and hurling casteist slurs at him in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, police said.
A purported video of the incident, which took place by a roadside in Rabupura area on Friday, surfaced on social media in which the vendor selling vegetarian biryani is being slapped by the accused men.
"Fold your hands... ," one of the accused is heard saying in the short clip while continuously slapping the vendor on his face.
Taking note of the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condemned the discriminatory behaviour and warned that steps will be taken against those acting against the law.
"There's no place for prejudice against any person on any grounds in Uttar Pradesh. There will be strict action against those who try to disturb law and order,"Adityanath's office tweeted from his personal handle.
The matter was reported to the Gautam Buddh Nagar police on Saturday following media reports and the suspects were arrested on Sunday from adjoining Bulandshahr district, officials said.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Vaibhav Krishna said that all three accused, who had beaten up and hurled casteist slurs at the vendor, were arrested on Sunday evening.
"The accused were arrested within 24 hours of the matter coming to light. No such criminal or communal activity will be tolerated," Krishna said.
Earlier on Sunday as the video of the incident was circulated on social media, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad asked local members of his Dalit emancipation group to reach out to the biryani vendor and "ensure action".
"Bhim Army's Noida team should reach the spot immediately and ensure action," Aazad tweeted in Hindi.
However, Aazad's tweet was met with a strong response from Gautam Buddh Nagar police, which warned him against causing any law and order problem.
"Arrests will be made soon in this case. Do not vitiate the atmosphere. It's police's job to ensure the arresting of those seen beating the vendor in the video. It is also the responsibility of the police to initiate strict action against you in case you try to vitiate the atmosphere," SSP Krishna had tweeted.
Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar also shared a post on Twitter to condemn the incident.
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