- BJP denying Narottam Mishra bypoll ticket sparked violent protests.
- Supporters blocked highway, pelted stones; police fired tear gas.
- Injured police, made arrests; highway traffic gradually restored.
- Ashutosh Tiwari was selected; bypoll follows MLA’s disqualification.
A protest over the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to deny former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra a ticket for the Datia Assembly bypoll turned violent, with supporters allegedly pelting stones at police, injuring several personnel and blocking National Highway-44 for nearly 12 hours.
The unrest erupted hours after the BJP on Friday announced Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the July 30 bypoll, a decision that came as a setback for Mishra, who was widely expected to contest the seat.
Stone Pelting, Tear Gas During Protest
Thousands of Mishra’s supporters staged a ‘chakka jam’ on NH-44, bringing traffic to a standstill and causing a congestion stretch of nearly 15 kilometres. Officials said the blockade also affected adjoining districts.
According to police, repeated appeals by the administration to end the protest failed. Around 4 AM, protesters allegedly began pelting stones at police personnel, prompting security forces to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
More than six police personnel, including senior officers, sustained injuries in the violence and were admitted to hospital.
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Police Blame ‘Hooligans’ For Violence
Datia Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal said over 3,000 people participated in the protest and accused them of attempting to disrupt normal life.
“More than 3000 hooligans attempted to vitiate the atmosphere in Datia city yesterday. They attempted to shut down markets. They have been sitting here since 6 PM yesterday for ‘chakka jaam’. Collector and I spoke to them again and again to leave from here and withdraw the ‘chakka jaam’ here. The traffic congestion due to this is about 15 km long,” Khandelwal said.
He added that protesters suddenly began pelting stones at police despite repeated requests to disperse.
“Around 4 AM, they suddenly pelted stones at Police. Police resorted to tear gas shells, following which the stone pelting intensified. More than 6 of our personnel suffered serious injuries. They are all admitted to the hospital. Additional SP and I also suffered injuries,” the SP added.
Police said some protesters have been taken into custody while efforts are underway to identify others involved.
Administration Says No Lathi Charge Used
Datia District Magistrate Swapnil Wankhade said authorities had tried to persuade the protesters to clear the highway before the situation turned violent.
“There was an 11.5-12-hour jam in which many buses were stuck, an ambulance was stuck. We attempted to reason with the protestors, but as soon as we arrived, stones were pelted at us. So we deployed tear gas. After releasing tear gas, the crowd was dispersed…The police did not use a lathi charge anywhere, and did not use force anywhere.” Wankhade said.
Heavy police deployment continues across Datia as traffic on NH-44 was gradually restored.
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BJP Picks Ashutosh Tiwari For Datia Bypoll
The BJP on Friday announced Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the July 30 Datia Assembly bypoll, overlooking senior party leader Narottam Mishra, who was reportedly expecting the ticket and had even purchased a nomination form.
Tiwari, a resident of Sevda town in Datia and an active member of the BJP’s state organisation, thanked the party leadership after his nomination.
Speaking to reporters, Tiwari said Mishra had assured him of his support. “Mishra is a very senior leader, my guardian, and he said he will campaign for me and the party.”
However, the announcement sparked protests by Mishra’s supporters, some of whom blocked the highway by lying on the road and threatened to quit the BJP if the former minister was not fielded.
The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified following his conviction and three-year sentence in a cheating case by a Delhi court in April. Although Bharti later secured bail, the conviction led to the vacancy. Polling for the Datia seat will be held on July 30, with counting of votes scheduled for August 3.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
