Surendra Yadav. Picture by Suman

Gaya, Dec. 15: A sweetshop owner in Gaya has been arrested for allegedly throwing boiling sugar syrup at an MLA’s face last evening, while the businessman has lodged an FIR accusing the leader’s bodyguards of assault.

Surendra Prasad Yadav, the RJD MLA from Belaganj, has accused brothers Dhiraj and Dablu of throwing the melted sugar at his face when he had gone to buy tilkuts from their shop. The brothers, however, alleged they were beaten up by the MLA’s three bodyguards over delay in packing sweets ordered by Yadav.

Sources said the altercation broke out around 8pm in front of the tilkut shop in the Kotwali police station area. Several people present at the time said it was drizzling and the MLA slipped in front of the shop following which boiling melted sugar (used to prepare tilkut) fell on his face. Agitated, the bodyguards beat up the brothers Dhiraj (alias Babloo) and Dablu. The other shop owners closed their business establishments. On Monday, no one was ready to speak about what happened.

Dablu said today: “The bodyguards ordered us to pack 1.5kg each of tilkut and anarsa. We had packed the tilkut and 500gm anarsa. We asked them to wait for 1kg anarsa as it was being fried. Irked at the delay, the bodyguards slapped and beat us up. None of us threw boiling melted sugar at the MLA.”

The MLA, who was admitted to Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital, said: “I have been a regular customer of the shop. I purchase tilkut in huge quantities around Makar Sankranti every year (on January 14). I am shocked why the shopkeepers threw melted sugar at me.”

Doctors at the health hub said the MLA had suffered burn injuries on the left side of his face but was stable.

Gaya senior superintendent of police Nishant Kumar Tiwary said: “It is a matter of altercation for personal reasons. We have lodged FIRs from both sides. Dhiraj has been arrested. Action would be taken against anyone found guilty. We are awaiting the injury report of the MLA.”

Police sources said the MLA’s three bodyguards had been recalled to the Police Lines after the incident.

Dhiraj had taken up the voluntary retirement scheme from the Indian Air Force last year and started sitting at the family’s sweetshop since.

He lodged an FIR against Yadav under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (property damage), 34 (common intention to cause hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The MLA lodged an FIR against the brothers under several sections, including 147 (hurling abuses) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty) of the IPC.

In protest against the incident, the RJD has called for a Gaya bandh on Tuesday.