Patna: Shyam Sunder Yadav, a criminal of Mokama in Patna rural, was arrested from Kanhaipur village, falling under the jurisdiction of Mokama police station, on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off that Shyam, who faces charges of murder, extortion and rape, would visit Kanhaipur on Saturday, a police team headed by the station house officer of Mokama police station, Mohammad Kaiser, surrounded the village and searched his hideout.

On seeing the police, Shyam tried to flee but was overpowered by the policemen. He was taken to Mokama police station, where officers quizzed him. Shyam had recently raped a widow in her house and attempted to do the same with other female members.

The rape of the widow on November 8 this year snowballed into a political controversy with Madhepura MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav and Independent MLA from Mokama Anant Singh demanding Shyam's arrest. A number of women had earlier blocked the road to protest the incident and sought protection from Shyam and his goons.

Shyam and his sidekicks, police sources said, used to move on horses and would enter the houses of local residents and rape women. Several incidents of sexual harassment were reported to the local police station against Shyam, whose name spelt terror among women in the riverine area in Patna district.

The SHO of Mokama, Kaiser, said a musket and a few live cartridges were seized from Shyam, who is involved in at least 20 cases of murder, loot, extortion and rape. Referring to the widow's rape, the SHO said the medical report had confirmed rape.