Former BJP MLA beaten to death in Rajasthan amid dispute

JAIPUR: A former BJP MLA Atar Singh Bhadana was beaten to death by a mob in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Bhadana, the former MLA, was killed during a violent clash related to a mining and stone crusher plant dispute. He succumbed to his injuries while undergoing medical treatment after being brutally assaulted and critically injured by villagers.

The operation of the mining unit owned by Bhadana in Bhonda village had been suspended for a year following protests by the locals. However, with the permission of the court, the operation of the mining unit was resumed recently. When Bhadana arrived here on Sunday evening, the locals organized and attacked him.

The locals attacked him alleging that the land where the mining unit is located is a grazing land and that Bhadana encroached on the land to conduct illegal mining. The villagers, who arrived with stones and sticks, also attacked Gagan Sharma, a follower of Bhadana.

The villagers had been protesting against the move to reopen the mining unit. The villagers stated that they had been conducting a peaceful protest for the past 15 days. Locals alleged that the clash broke out when Bhadana attempted to evict the protesters using a group of around 50 people.

More police forces have been deployed to ensure law and order in the area. Police also informed that Bhadana's body has been kept in the hospital mortuary for post-mortem.