JAIPUR: Former BJP MLA Atar Singh Bhadana died after allegedly being attacked by a group of villagers following a dispute over the reopening of a stone crusher in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, police said on Monday.
The incident took place on Sunday night in Bhonda village, where Bhadana had visited the crusher site. Circle Officer Neeraj Bhardwaj said Bhadana and his associate, Gagan Sharma, were allegedly attacked with sticks and stones during the confrontation.
Both sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital. Bhadana was later referred to SMS Hospital in Jaipur, where he died during treatment. Sharma was referred to Bharatpur for treatment.
Police said villagers had accused Bhadana of encroaching on grazing land and engaging in illegal mining. The crusher had been closed for about a year, and attempts to reopen it had triggered tensions.
Villagers claimed they had been peacefully protesting against the proposed reopening for 10 to 15 days. They alleged that Bhadana arrived with 40 to 50 people on Sunday evening and attempted to remove them from the site, leading to a confrontation.
Both sides have accused each other of assault. Additional police personnel have been deployed in the village to maintain law and order.
Bhadana’s body has been kept in the mortuary for a post-mortem examination, Bhardwaj said.
(With inputs from PTI)
