Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Jun 3 (IANS): A wanted history-sheeter was forcibly taken away by a group of men while he was being taken to the Naubasta police station in a police jeep.

The policemen had initially managed to arrest the accused, Manoj Singh, on Wednesday and put him in the jeep but just as they were about to leave, a group of men arrived near the vehicle and took him away.

A video of the incident that went viral showed that the group surrounded the jeep and took away the criminal.

Manoj Singh (33), has a long criminal history and was wanted in a case of murderous assault.

Kanpur's Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Akash Kulhari said that Singh had gone to a private guest house situated at Hamirpur road in the Naubasta area to attend a birthday party of a city office-bearer belonging to the ruling BJP.

On a tip-off, the Naubasta police team reached the spot and arrested the criminal, who was immediately taken to a police jeep. Before the cops could leave, eight persons arrived at the spot and fled with Singh.

The identities of all eight miscreants have been established with the help of video footage, the ACP said, while adding that a case under relevant sections of IPC has been registered with the Naubasta police.

Several police teams have been formed to arrest those who took away the wanted man from custody.

Additional DCP (South) Deepak Bhuker confirmed that the birthday party of a BJP city office-bearer was organised at the guest house but claimed neither the BJP leader was present there nor was he involved in the incident.