MP: Digvijaya continues stir seeking BJP candidate's arrest in murder case

Chhatarpur, Nov 19 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh continued his sit-in agitation outside a police station here for the second day on Sunday to demand the arrest of a BJP candidate in connection with the alleged murder of a Congress worker on the election day.

Singh said there will be a state-wide agitation if no action is taken in the case.

He launched the sit-in protest in front of the Khajuraho police station along with local Congress workers and leaders on Saturday.

Singh along with Congress MLAs Alok Chaturvedi and Vikram Singh and other leaders stayed overnight in a tent outside the police station.

A person, identified as Salman Khan, died during a clash between BJP and Congress workers in Rajnagar constituency in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday when the assembly elections were held in the state.

According to police, Khan was run over by a vehicle.

Police registered a case of alleged murder against Arvind Pateria, the BJP candidate from Rajnagar constituency, and some other persons late Friday night.

Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V D Sharma had claimed that Khan's death was an accident.

Talking to reporters on Sunday morning, Singh said an FIR was registered against 20 people in the case but none of the accused was arrested so far.

Even the vehicle used to crush Salman was not seized, he said.

The Congress leader said Khan's family and he himself believe that justice cannot be done under the BJP government.

By now, least one person could have been arrested or at least one or two vehicles could have been seized, he said.

“Had it been anyone else, bulldozers would have used (to demolish property of accused) by now,” he said.

Singh claimed BJP leaders and the government want the case against Pateria to be withdrawn, but it will not be allowed to happen.

It was not an accident, but a murder, he further claimed.

If the administration does not take cognisance of this case and no proper action is taken, the agitation will be spread across the state, Singh said.

People from other parts of the state are also reaching here, he added.

The Congress leader also claimed that Pateria has been changing his statements since the incident.

Additional Superintendent of Police Vikram Singh earlier said the case was being investigated and action will be taken accordingly. PTI