Mysuru:  Udayagiri Police have arrested a youth on charges of assaulting a tea shop owner for refusing to give hafta (extortion money). The youth, who was arrested yesterday, has been identified as 22-year-old Mohammed Azar, a resident of Kalyangiri in city.

Azar, on June 29, went to a tea shop on Rajkumar Road and demanded hafta from Uttam Singh, the owner of the tea shop. When Uttam Singh refused by saying “Why should I give money to you?” Azar said “Do you know who I am? You have come from somewhere and running a tea shop in my area. If you don’t give me money you will not live” and abused Uttam Singh using foul language and then allegedly caught hold of Uttam Singh by his collar and hit him (Uttam Singh) on his nose, chest and stomach. He then demanded the tea shop owner to give him money whenever he came besides threatening to kill him if he failed.

Uttam Singh then rushed to Udayagiri Police Station and lodged a complaint. Based on the complaint, Udayagiri Police, who registered a case, launched a hunt to nab Azar, who was absconding and arrested him yesterday. Azar has been remanded to judicial custody.