Express News Service
BHOPAL: In a shocking incident, a 65-year-old man Bhanwarlal Jain was found dead in Neemuch district, just a few hours after he was thrashed allegedly by a ruling BJP functionary over suspicion of being a Muslim.
Jain, who is the eldest among the three sons of the oldest surviving sarpanch Pistabai Chhatar Jain in Sirsa village of neighbouring Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, was found dead at Rampura Road (around one km from Manasa police) in Neemuch district on May 19.
Jain, who was living with mental health problems, was missing since May 16 from Chittorgarh district of neighbouring Rajasthan where he had gone with kin for offering prayers at a temple on May 15.
A missing person complaint was lodged by his family at the Chittorgarh Kotwali on May 16.
Three days later, his body was found at Rampura Road in the adjoining Neemuch district of native MP. The body was kept in the freezer at the mortuary and an inquest registered u/s 174 CrPc.Cops from Manasa police station subsequently flashed the body’s picture on social media, seeing which his kin rushed to Manasa (Neemuch) on May 19 only.
Just a day later, a shocking video of the same Bhanwarlal Jain being thrashed mercilessly by a ruling BJP leader Dinesh Kushwah went viral on Friday evening.
In the around one-minute video which has possibly been shot at a tea shop, the BJP leader is seen thrashing Jain, asking him if his name is Mohammad. This suggests that the mentally unstable elderly was thrashed by Kushwah on suspicion of being a Muslim.
In the same video, Jain is seen telling Jaora (meaning he hails from Jaora in the adjoining Ratlam district), upon which Kushwah thrashes him again, asking for his Aadhar card.
“After the video of the savagery went viral on Friday, Jain’s kin came to us, alleging it was that assault which caused the elderly’s death. A case was subsequently lodged u/s 304(II) and 302 IPC and a search is underway to nab the absconding accused,” Manasa (Neemuch) police station in-charge KL Dangi said.
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The video was reportedly uploaded by the accused BJP man Dinesh Kushwah himself in a Swacch Bharat named WhatsApp group on May 20 and further got circulated to other social media groups.
According to Neemuch district police superintendent Sooraj Verma, the case has been registered against two men, including Dinesh Kushwah and an unidentified man (who filmed the savage act). Raids are being conducted to nab the accused.
The accused Dinesh Kushwah has reportedly been associated with the BJP and has formerly been in the local executive of BJP’s youth wing in Manasa (Neemuch). His wife is the former municipal councilor from Ward No. 3 of Manasa Nagar Parishad.
On the other hand, the deceased Bhanwarlal Jain hailed from the family headed by Pistabhai Chhatar Jain, the oldest surviving village sarpanch of Ratlam district. One of Bhanwarlal’s two younger brothers too is associated with the BJP.
