Panchayat Official In Madhya Pradesh Attacked, BJP MLA He Named Denies Claims

The audio clip of the purported conversation was widely circulated before the attack. (Representational)

Madhya Pradesh:

The Chief Executive Officer of a Janpad Panchayat in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district was attacked allegedly by some armed men. The attack took place a few hours after he had a heated telephonic conversation with the local BJP MLA, KP Tripathi. Mr Mishra, who was injured and hospitalised, told reporters that was threatened by the MLA.

“The MLA has been pressuring me for a year to get work done according to his wishes, including reinstating a transferred panchayat secretary, Sandeep Dwivedi. I had clearly told him over the phone on Tuesday to get me transferred, but he told me that he wouldn’t waste energy in getting me transferred, but would do something more. Just a few hours after the telephonic conversation, the attack happened on me,” he told reporters.

The audio clip of the purported conversation was widely circulated before the attack, which took place on Tuesday evening. In the clip, a man, purportedly the MLA is heard threatening someone over some pending works and abusing him.

Mr Tripathi, who represents the Semariya constituency, has dismissed the allegations and claimed there was a political conspiracy to tarnish his image, reported news agency Press Trust of India.

Mr Mishra said the attack was carried out by around 20 armed men, including a local BJP leader believed to be close to Mr Tripathi.

“I was returning from an official work in the car driven by my driver, when 18-20 men armed with lathis blocked the car, parking their vehicles in front of it,” Mr Mishra said. “As the car’s doors were locked from inside, they broke the windows and pulled me out. Then they attacked me indiscriminately and left the spot,” he added.

The 58-year-old said he has identified three of the attackers – “the BJP’s Bankuiyan Mandal president Manish Shukla and two others, Vinay Shukla and Vivek Gautam”.

District Collector Manoj Pushp said Mr Mishra is currently undergoing treatment at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital.

Anil Sonkar, a senior officer of the Rewa police, said a case has been lodged under various sections against 18-20 persons, including the three accused who were named. “An investigation is in progress into the other allegations made by the Janpad Panchayat CEO. No arrests have been made till now,” he added.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee media cell chairman KK Mishra claimed the BJP legislator was involved in the incident. “It is clear who attacked the panchayat department official as the incident occurred after the audio clip of his argument with the BJP legislator surfaced. Everything is clear,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

District BJP president Ajay Singh said the accusations against the legislator are baseless and that the action against the BJP leaders, whose name figured in the case, will be taken after verification of the facts, PTI reported.