BJP Leader Shot In Madhya Pradesh, Accused's Father Dies By Suicide

A BJP leader has been shot dead by two people while he was riding a motorcycle in Madhya Pradesh's Katni district on Tuesday, sparking panic and a political row. The father of one of the alleged attackers died by suicide after learning of his son's involvement in the crime.

Katni BJP Pichda Morcha Mandal President Neelu (Nilesh) Rajak, 38, was riding his bike in Kaimor town around 11 am when he was shot in the head and chest by two men on a motorcycle. A video, which has been widely shared, shows two masked men carrying out the shooting.

Witnesses described scenes of chaos, panic in the market near the area, multiple gunshots, and Rajak collapsing on the road. Within minutes of the killing, hundreds of residents poured into the streets, demanding the immediate arrest of the murderers. Rajak's family and supporters blocked roads in front of the Vijayraghavgarh Government Hospital, refusing to allow a postmortem until justice was done.

The protest lasted over six hours and was joined by BJP MLA Sanjay Pathak and BJP District President Deepak Tandon Soni.

The police said later that the accused have been identified as Prince, 30, and 33-year-old Akram Khan. Prince's father, Nelson Joseph, officials said, died by suicide after he found out about his son's alleged involvement.

"We have identified the accused and launched an intensive search operation," said Katni Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhinay Vishwakarma. "The TI (Town Inspector) and head-constable have been attached to the police lines for negligence".

Politician's Claim

The incident has taken a political and communal turn after BJP MLA and former minister Sanjay Pathak alleged that Rajak was murdered because he intervened in a case of 'love jihad' (a term used by some right-wing outfits to allege attempted conversion of Hindu girls and women by Muslim men).

"A girl had complained that a man was harassing her on her way to school. When Neelu intervened, the man threatened to bomb him. The issue escalated, and when Neelu went to the police station, action was taken against him and not the harasser. He told Neelu, 'I will shoot you in the middle of the road'. A month-and-a-half later, he kept his word," Pathak said.

"Neelu had a five-year-old daughter and an eleven-year-old son. His mother is old. He was the only earning member. This is not just a murder, it is a message. Some businessmen, policemen, and outsiders are involved. They must be investigated. The accused have also said that they will eliminate me, but I am ready to sacrifice myself for Hindutva," he claimed.

Jabalpur Deputy Inspector of Police Atul Singh led a flag march through Kaimor to prevent communal flare-ups.

SP Vishwakarma promised swift arrests. "We have said from the beginning that strict action will be taken against those responsible. Two main accused have been identified - Akram and Prince - and are being hunted down. The TI has been negligent."