Former J&K legislator held for assaulting woman sarpanch

Former Jammu and Kashmir legislator Gagan Bhagat was arrested on Thursday for allegedly assaulting a woman sarpanch, police said.

He was taken into custody from the court premises in Janipur area here when he was going to present himself before the court to seek bail.

Woman sarpanch, Seema Devi of Miran Sahib block of Jammu district, had lodged a complaint with the police that Bhagat had assaulted her during the installation of an electric transformer in Jindher village of the block last month.

Earlier on Thursday, over two dozen panches and sarpanches held a protest against him. 

Elected as a BJP MLA from R.S. Pura assembly constituency in the 2014 Assembly elections, Bhagat was expelled from the party in December last year for anti-party activities and had joined the National Conference.IANS