Six held after tribals kill cop in Madhya Pradesh

DGP reviews situation on CM's directions

Bhopal/Mauganj: A day after an Assistant Sub-Inspector was killed in a violent attack on a police team in Mauganj district by tribals, MP DGP Kailash Makwana on Sunday flew to Rewa to assess the situation, with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announcing strict action against perpetrators.

Police launched a combing operation in Gadra village, located about 25 km from Mauganj, and arrested six persons. A search is underway to trace others.

A group of tribals on Saturday allegedly abducted and killed a man, and then attacked a police team that attempted to rescue him, resulting in the death of the assistant sub-inspector.

The situation in Gadra, where the violent clash unfolded, is under control amid heavy deployment of police personnel. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, relating to maintaining public order and preventing disturbances, was already imposed in the area.

The altercation began when members of the Kol tribe abducted Sunny Dwivedi, accusing him of being responsible for the death of a tribal man, Ashok Kumar, several months ago. Police records indicate that Kumar had died in a road accident, but the Kol tribe believed Dwivedi was involved.

When the police were alerted about Dwivedi’s abduction, a team led by Shahpur Police Station House Officer Sandeep Bhartiya was dispatched to Gadra village, officials had said.

However, by the time they arrived, Dwivedi had already been beaten to death. As police attempted to intervene and open the room where Dwivedi was held, they were met with a violent attack by the tribals armed with sticks and stones.

In the ensuing chaos, ASI Ramcharan Gautam, part of the Special Armed Force, sustained severe injuries and later succumbed during treatment, an official said.

Other officers were also injured and immediately rushed to local hospitals. Following the attack, police had to fire shots in the air to disperse the mob and secure the safety of their personnel.

Rewa Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Saket Pandey on Sunday confirmed that six suspects had been arrested, and police were actively searching for additional individuals involved in the attack. The police have also started the process of identifying other perpetrators.

Commissioner of Rewa division, BS Jamod, said seven officials and government employees injured in the incident are being treated in different hospitals.

"A tehsildar and a police sub-inspector, who sustained head injuries and fractures, are undergoing treatment at Rewa's Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, while five policemen are being treated in Mauganj district hospital," he said, adding that the injured persons are out of danger.

In Rewa, DGP Makwana held a meeting with senior officials and visited the injured tehsildar and sub-inspector at the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital. Later, he planned to visit Mauganj to further supervise the situation.

Earlier in the day, CM Yadav told PTI he had directed senior officials to reach the spot and ensure that the situation became normal quickly.

"What happened in Mauganj yesterday is saddening. An ASI lost his life, while several others were injured. The situation is under control, and I have directed the senior officials to reach the spot immediately," he said.

In a post on social media platform X, Yadav, who also holds the home department portfolio, said he has given instructions to take strict action against all those accused of such an inhuman and unfortunate incident.

He said ASI Ramcharan Gautam died in retaliatory action in the unfortunate attack on the police team, SHO, and tehsildar who had reached Gadra village following the information on a dispute between two groups.

"The other policemen injured in the incident have been sent to a hospital in Rewa for treatment," he said.

Immediately after the incident, section 163 (of the BNSS) was imposed in the area and DIG (Deputy Inspector General) Rewa, SP (Superintendent of Police) Mauganj and other police officers reached the spot and controlled the situation, the CM stated.

"The ADG (Additional Director General) Rewa Zone is reaching the spot, I have also directed DG Police (Director General of Police) to reach the spot and supervise (the situation in the area)," Yadav added.

Minister in-charge of Mauganj, Lakhan Patel, also visited the hospital to meet the injured officers before heading to Mauganj to meet the family of the deceased Sunny Dwivedi.

Mauganj BJP MLA Pradeep Patel attributed the deteriorating law and order situation to the involvement of individuals in the illegal drugs trade, which needed urgent attention.

"A probe is needed to find out what led to the incident," he said.

The body of ASI Ramcharan Gautam was transported to his native village, Pawaiya, in Satna district, for the last rites.

The opposition Congress, meanwhile, alleged that law and order had collapsed in Madhya Pradesh, with the state party unit chief Jitu Patwari claiming that police personnel were attacked at five places in the last one or two days.

Patwari cited a recent incident in Mandla district during an anti-Naxal operation where a tribal man was killed despite being innocent. He claimed police and lawyers had beaten up each other in Indore over two days.

"The police committed atrocities on tribals in Mauganj, who retaliated and attacked the police," the Congress leader said, adding that the law and order has completely collapsed in Madhya Pradesh.