Eight police personnel, including the Superintendent of Police (SP) and a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP), sustained injuries during a clash with BJP workers in Datia, Madhya Pradesh. The violence erupted as protesters opposed the BJP’s decision to nominate Ashutosh Tiwari instead of Narottam Mishra for the upcoming by-election on July 30.
Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede mentioned efforts to persuade protesters to clear a highway blockade before the situation escalated into violence. Despite these attempts, the situation turned aggressive, leading to stone-pelting at officials. Tear gas was used to disperse the crowd, resulting in injuries to eight police personnel, with six admitted to the hospital.
The clash caused a significant traffic jam of 15 to 20 kilometers on the Gwalior-Jhansi highway, which was eventually resolved by the police. Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal confirmed that the situation is now under control, with additional police forces deployed to maintain law and order in Datia.
Several vehicles were damaged during the violence, including a police vehicle that was overturned, the SDOP’s vehicle that was vandalized, and trucks with broken windows due to stone-pelting. To prevent further incidents, heavy police presence has been established around sensitive areas like the BJP office in Datia.
The decision of the BJP to field Ashutosh Tiwari instead of Narottam Mishra has sparked discontent among local party workers, leading to resignations of key office-bearers, such as Datia district BJP president Raghuveer Saran Kushwah. The Datia Assembly by-election is slated for July 30.
