Jaipur: The police have detained three persons for allegedly assaulting a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA during a meeting in Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan on Thursday, triggering political outrage and prompting police action.
According to reports, the incident took place in the afternoon at the ‘MLA Seva Kendra’ located within the Bihani College campus, where MLA Jaideep Bihani was holding a meeting with officials to discuss the ongoing drinking water crisis in the city.
During the meeting, an argument reportedly broke out between the MLA and officials present, including Jagannath Bairwa, an Assistant Engineer with the Rajasthan Urban Infrastructure Development Project (RUIDP), Soem, and Shahnavaz, a Project Manager associated with a private company. The dispute escalated, and it is alleged that the officials physically manhandled the MLA and slapped him during the altercation.
Meanwhile, MLA Bihani stated: “I was merely asking officials whether or not they had any concern for the public. The moment I said this, Jaganlal Bairwa, an AEN with the RUIDP, attacked me. He broke my spectacles and inflicted an injury below my eye.
“I called the police. The police arrived at the scene and took three officials into custody.”
The MLA added that an FIR is being registered against the trio. He further mentioned that he intends to lodge a complaint regarding the matter with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister, and the Chief Secretary.
Following the complaint, Jawahar Nagar Police detained three individuals — Jagannath Bairwa, Shahnavaz, and Soem, identified as a Planning Manager, for questioning in connection with the incident.
Station House Officer Devendra Singh confirmed that the accused are being interrogated and that further investigation in the matter is underway.
The incident led to chaos at the venue, with locals from the Purani Abadi area stepping in to rescue the MLA during the commotion. Supporters of the MLA also reached the spot, leading to further scuffles with the officials present at the venue. Police personnel were subsequently deployed to bring the situation under control.
The alleged assault has sparked outrage among BJP workers and raised concerns over the conduct and accountability of officials involved in public projects. Administrative discussions have also begun to review the incident in detail.
Police said that statements from both sides are being recorded, and further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
(IANS)
