BJP Leader's Killers Arrested In Madhya Pradesh After Dramatic Encounter

Two men in Madhya Pradesh who were accused of killing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nilesh Rajak in Katni district were arrested by the police on Wednesday after a dramatic encounter.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Santosh Deharia, the operation near Kajrwara in Katni unfolded during a high-speed chase where cops surrounded the accused- Akram Khan and Prince Joseph.

"During the arrest, both criminals opened fire on the police. Officers retaliated, and four rounds were exchanged. Both accused were seriously injured and have been referred to Jabalpur for treatment," ASP Deharia said.

Manhunt Comes To An End

The arrests of Khan and Joseph bring an end to a manhunt that was launched after Nilesh Rajak was shot dead in Kaimor on Tuesday.

Rajak was Katni district's BJP Pichda Morcha Mandal president. The killing, captured on CCTV, showed Khan and Joseph wearing masks and opening fire on Rajak as he rode his motorcycle in a marketplace.

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

Rajak was shot in the head and chest and died at the scene, as horrified locals watched helplessly. 

The daylight assassination sparked massive public outrage across Katni. Crowds took to the streets demanding immediate arrests, accusing the police of negligence and collusion. The situation turned so volatile that senior police and administrative officers had to camp in the area overnight to restore order.

The murder took a darker twist when Nelson Joseph, father of accused Prince, committed suicide hours after his son's name surfaced in the FIR.

Why Was Rajak Killed?

According to police and local sources, Rajak's killing stemmed from a dispute over harassment allegations involving a schoolgirl.

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).

Pathak said that the schoolgirl complained that a man was harassing her.

READ: Madhya Pradesh Cop Alleges Police Hand In Drug Trade

"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," he added.

"I spoke to the chief minister and the state BJP president; both have assured the strictest possible action. Rajak was fighting against what he believed was love jihad. He has left behind a five-year-old daughter, an eleven-year-old son, and an elderly mother. The family is shattered, and so is our community," the former minister added.

As pressure mounted on the police to deliver results, special teams tracked the accused to the Kajrwara area early Wednesday. When cornered, Khan and Joseph opened fire, forcing police to retaliate. The encounter ended with both accused wounded and captured.

Additional police forces remain deployed in Kaimor and Vijayraghavgarh, where protests had erupted following the murder. The administration has appealed for calm and warned against spreading communal rumors.