GHAZIABAD: A BSP councillor was allegedly beaten up with iron rods by a private contractor’s aides inside the chief engineer’s chamber at Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) office on Friday and lay there unconscious for around 20 minutes before he was rushed to a hospital.Dilshad Malik, the councillor from ward number 44, suffered injuries to the head and jaw. His condition was stated to be serious at a private hospital in Ghaziabad. The chief engineer, Moinuddin, was out on field duty when three to four men allegedly dragged Malik inside his chamber and beat him up. The attack triggered a protest by BSP members of civic body who locked the main gate of GMC office and confined some employees inside for around 30 minutes.An FIR has been lodged against the contractor, Ajay Tyagi, and a few others for attempt to murder and rioting, based on a complaint by the councillor’s brother. Sources said Malik had had a heated argument with Tyagi a few days ago over the construction of a road. Tyagi and his workers had reportedly gone to Dashmesh Vatika to build a road but were stopped by some villagers. The councillor had apparently stood by the villagers in blocking Tyagi, a listed contractor with GMC.The two had another round of argument on Friday morning, hours before Malik was attacked. The BJP is in majority in the 100-member board with 57 councillors, followed by the Congress with 16 councillors; BSP 13, SP 5 and 9 Independents.Sources said some 4-5 men dragged Malik by the collar to the chief engineer’s empty chamber on the third floor and attacked him. “Dilshad Malik was beaten with rods and chairs until he fell unconscious,” a witness said. “They left Malik bleeding profusely.”Although people gathered around the room where Malik was thrashed, he was taken to the hospital only after 20 minutes. As news of the attack spread, councillors from the BSP and other Opposition parties locked the main gate in protest.“The attack was carried out at the behest of a private contractor with whom Dilshad Malik had an altercation in Dashmesh Vatika on Thursday,” said Anand Choudhary, another councillor from the BSP. “We demand immediate arrest of all the accused. Else, we will bring the city to a standstill,” added Choudhary, who is also the leader of BSP in the civic board.Malik’s elder brother Sharif has mentioned seven persons — four identified and three unidentified — in the complaint. “Chairs were hurled at him and he was brutally thrashed with iron rods and a blunt object. He has suffered fractures in the skull and jaw and his condition is said to be serious,” said Sharif. In the police complaint, Shairf has named the contractor, Ajay Tyagi, and his aides Rajendra Yadav, Praveen Tyagi and Succha Singh. Although an FIR has been lodged against them, they are yet to be arrested.Ghaziabad mayor Asha Sharma and municipal commissioner CP Singh visited Malik at hospital. “It’s very unfortunate that an elected member has been thrashed like this, that too inside GMC headquarters. I demand strict action against all the accused,” said Sharma.

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