The Weeknd arrested for punching police officer

Los Angeles: Singer The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, was arrested in Las Vegas after allegedly punching a police officer. The cop was attempting to break up a fight involving the singer inside the Cromwell Hotel when he was hit, TMZ reported.

A spokeswoman for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Laura Meltzer, said, "A man by the name Abel Tesfaye was arrested on Saturday in Las Vegas at about 4:42 AM Special Event officers responded to call regarding a fight that broke out at the 3500 Block of South Las Vegas Boulevard When they got to the venue there was a big group of people in an altercation."

"They tried to separate up the fight. They took one man (Abel Tesfaye) into the elevator and he punched the officer at the side of his head with a closed fist," Laura continued.

"Abel was arrested for battery of a protected person and taken to Clark County Detention. He is not there anymore so he must of bailed out." After being released, the 'Love Me Harder' crooner posted on Instagram a photo of him boarding plane in the night. "Escaped from Las Vegas," he wrote alongside the snap.