Bhopal: Two men, including a local leader of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in Madhya Pradesh, were arrested Wednesday in connection with a video that purportedly show them assaulting an injured tribal man who had met with an accident
The incident has triggered a political storm, with Congress general secretary and MP incharge Randeep Surjewala demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
On Tuesday, the BJYM cancelled the membership of the accused, Jai Ganesh Dixit and released him from his post in Annupur rural.
The accident took place 18 September, when a tempo hit the motorcycle driven by Bhavar Singh Marave at a place about 6 km away from Annupur district headquarters. He and Bhoma Singh Marave were travelling from Bairband village towards Jamudu. Bhoma Singh, 60, died on the spot while Bhavar Singh sustained injuries.
In the video, Dixit is seen hitting a dazed Bhavar Singh, right next to the body of his kin. Onlookers, meanwhile, keep asking Bhavar Singh to give details of the accident. The other accused was identified as Jitendra Khushwaha, the police said.
After the video went viral, an FIR was registered under Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 294 (obscene acts) and 34 (joint criminal liability) of the IPC along with relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“Based on prima facie evidence, we have arrested them and investigation is underway. There were many people present at the time of the incident. We are probing the matter to cover all aspects,” Additional Superintendent of Police, Annupur, Shivkumar Singh told ThePrint.
Meanwhile, the Congress released a video highlighting several incidents of atrocities on tribals, including the Sidhi urination case, the Nemawar murders (2021) and the Seoni lynching (2022).
Congress state chief Kamal Nath accused the chief minister of making Madhya Pradesh hostile to tribals. “Have you given licence to BJP workers to commit atrocities on tribals? A tribal daughter and five family members are buried alive in Nemawar. In Neemuch, a tribal youth is tied to a vehicle and dragged to death. In Sidhi, a man urinates on a tribal man. Every time, the person committing atrocities on tribals is either a leader of BJP or someone associated with the ruling party,” he tweeted and shared a video of the incident.
BJYM Annupur president Ravindra Rathore assured of taking strict action against Dixit. “The incident has come to my knowledge, and I have seen the video. We have issued a notice seeking his response. In case, we don’t receive an appropriate response, strict action will be taken,” Rathore told ThePrint.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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