Bharatpur: Police Tuesday arrested five men in connection with the mob attack and murder of former BJP MLA Attar Singh Bhadana at his stone crusher plant in Bharatpur’s Bhaunda village, as investigators widened the probe to include firing, arson, vandalism and CCTV evidence from the site.
Attar Singh Badhana’s house ransacked by the crowd during the attack
The arrested accused have been identified as Bhagmal Gurjar (68), Soni Gurjar (65) and Sher Singh Gurjar (60), all residents of Bhaunda village, and Kumar Singh Gurjar (58), of Navar village. Another accused, Baldev Gurjar, was also arrested Tuesday evening.
Attar Singh Badhana’s house ransacked by the crowd during the attack
Weir circle officer Neeraj Bhardwaj said the four were being questioned to establish the sequence of events that led to the violence Sunday evening.Police said the probe is now centred on three crucial leads: empty cartridges recovered from the spot, arson and vandalism at the crusher plant, and footage from more than 20 CCTV cameras installed on the premises.A key piece of evidence could be the CCTV DVR, which police said Bhadana’s wife, Kamlesh, took from the crusher after the incident. Officials said they are in touch with the family to seize it. Police said the DVR was in the room where Kamlesh had locked herself during the attack and remained safe.Bharatpur SP Rajesh Meena said Kamlesh and Bhadana’s gunman Gagan Sharma are eyewitnesses and their statements will be recorded. Gagan was injured in the attack and is undergoing treatment.Investigators said empty cartridges found at the scene indicate that firing took place. Police are trying to establish from which side the firing occurred. The crusher office and rooms at the site were also set on fire, and police recorded allegations of damage to the office, machines and vehicles.Bhadana was allegedly bludgeoned to death at his silica stone crusher plant after a dispute over access to the lease site erupted into violence. The dispute had been simmering for nearly two years and centred on the use of grazing land as a route to the lease, which villagers had repeatedly opposed.According to villagers, Bhadana reached the crusher plant Sunday evening. Workers and others were present at the site, but many fled when a large number of villagers arrived.Villagers alleged that more than 70 to 80 people attacked the former MLA’s office at the crusher plant, where he was bludgeoned to death.Police also found signs that a large gathering had taken place at the office before the violence. Leftover sweetmeats, used leaf bowls of samosas and jalebi were recovered from a drum.Villagers alleged that when the crowd pelted stones and attacked Bhadana, his wife, Kamlesh, climbed onto the roof of the office and locked herself inside a room. They claimed people tried to break the iron grill and struck the iron gate with sharp-edged weapons, marks of which are still visible on the doors, they said.Villagers also claimed Kamlesh recorded a video of the assault and that the crowd did not want evidence to remain. Police have not confirmed the existence of such a video.Kamlesh has registered a case against villagers over Bhadana’s killing, vandalism and arson.SP Meena said different police teams are working on the case. He said the dispute between the two sides had persisted for two years, with both sides accusing each other and cases registered by both sides.
