Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s convoy pelted with stones again

The police is probing all angles, including the Mahidpur MLA being the probable target of those who pelted stones on the cops and their vehicle, before attempting to attack the CM’s motorcade as well.

File photo of the damaged bus of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan after he was attacked on board during his ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’, in Sidhi | PTI

BHOPAL: A fortnight after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s ongoing statewide Jan Ashirwad Yatra’s (JAY) bus was pelted with stones in Sidhi district, a similar incident occurred in Ratlam district on Monday night.

The incident occurred in Kalukhedi village on the border of Ratlam and Ujjain districts. When a police vehicle was on its way from Mahidpur to Nagada town of Ujjain district via Taal area of Ratlam district at around 8.45 pm as part of a security check before the CM’s convoy took the same road, the cops spotted a group of 30-40 men in the dark with stones in hand. As the cops got off their vehicle and went towards the men, they threw stones at the police personnel, injuring ASP Abhishek Diwan, an inspector and two constables, and damaging the police vehicle.

Taking guard, the police personnel used force and fired tear gas shells to disperse the men and subsequently cleared the route for the CM’s JAY motorcade.

According to police sources, around 25 minutes later, the CM’s convoy passed through the same route, but suddenly someone threw a stone that possibly hit the CM’s bus in Kalukhedi village, but caused no damage.

According to Gaurav Tiwari, SP of Ratlam district, a case under IPC sections 147, 294, 323, 506, 353 and 332 has been lodged at the Taal police station against 30-plus unidentified accused and investigations are underway.

“We’re working in tandem with Mahidpur police of Ujjain district, as a part of the spot lies in Mahidpur,” Tiwari told The New Indian Express on Tuesday.

Key sources in state police said two men had been picked up for questioning in connection with the attack on the police vehicle.

The CM’s convoy included the vehicle of Bhadur Singh Chouhan, the BJP MLA from Mahidpur Assembly seat of Ujjain district. Chouhan is facing strong opposition from local residents and even a section of the ruling party’s workers in Mahidpur. Posters bearing his pictures with female dancers were pasted around Mahidpur town on Monday morning ahead of the CM’s arrival in the town.

Also under the scanner is possibility of the anti-SC/ST Act brigade having been behind Monday night’s incident, as Kalukhedi village and the adjoining hamlets are dominated by upper caste Sisodiya Rajputs, who could be linked to Karni Sena, which is among the host of upper caste outfits forming part of the ongoing anti-SC/ST Act movement being witnessed across the poll-bound state.

On Sunday only, the saffron flag bearing anti-SC/ST Act brigade, which included Karni Sena had carried massive rally in Ujjain town.

The Monday night incident happened just a fortnight after stones were pelted on the CM’s JAY bus on September 2 in Sidhi district, which is the native district of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in State Assembly Ajay Singh. The BJP and the CM had alleged Singh’s role behind the incident. Nine men, including two local Congress leaders were arrested in the case.

Just a few days after the September 2 incident, a prosecution witness in the case, alleged that the police in Sidhi district had forced him to turn an eye witness and identify seven persons to have been involved in the case.

Reacting to Monday night incident on Ratlam-Ujjain districts border, the LoP Ajay Singh tweeted asking “till now, why have the CM and home minister not told who pelted stones and conspired to kill the CM in Mahidpur.”

While condemning the Monday night incident, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath said it also needs to be seen that there is discontent and anger among the people, who are feeling cheated in the present government.