Lucknow, Aug 8 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government has deployed the Special Task Force (STF) to track down Shrikant Tyagi, a self-proclaimed BJP leader, who recently hit the headlines for misbehaving with a woman on the issue of illegal encroachment.

Tyagi, who is absconding, has been booked under Indian Penal Code section 354 (assault or use of criminal force on any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty) over a spat with a co-resident of their housing society in Noida's Sector 93B.

Raids were conducted on Monday at the Greenwood apartments and Rohtas apartments in Gomti Nagar, said to be possible hideouts of Tyagi.

The SUV in which he reportedly fled from Noida has been found abandoned near the Hapur toll Plaza, while a senior police official said that electronic surveillance showed his location in Uttarakhand.

Noida Police Commissioner Alok Singh has already suspended SHO Phase 2, Sujit Upadhyay, late on Sunday night for negligence.

According to the police commissioner, action will be taken against Tyagi under the Gangster Act and his illegal properties will be confiscated.