In a span of 12 hours, two policemen were murdered in neighbouring districts of Madhya Pradesh's Mahakoshal region on Thursday, sending shockwaves across the state. While an assistant sub-inspector of police (ASI) in Chhindwara district got crushed under a speeding vehicle, a head constable was shot in Seoni.
The first incident occurred on Thursday morning in front of Mahuljhir police station in Chhindwara's Tamia. The accused was identified as Lokjit Singh, who was fleeing a petrol station without paying.
When the man sped away in his SUV from the gas station in Parasia, the cops were alerted. On getting the information, ASI Naresh Sharma got a barrier put up in front of the police station to stop the escaping accused. When the ASI tried to flag down the vehicle, Lokjit Singh mowed him down and sped away. The critically injured Sharma later succumbed at the district hospital.
Singh was later arrested about 60 kms from the spot after his speeding SUV overturned, police sources said. It was found that the accused was out on bail after being charged for a tractor theft in Amarwada police station. He also had cases of cannabis smuggling and road accidents registered against him, police added.
In the second incident, head constable Rakesh Thakur of Dunda Seoni police station was fatally shot while a team of cops was trying to apprehend four criminals allegedly involved in cases of theft. After the police team detained three accused, namely Janak Singh, Pravin Vaishnav and Gulshan, the fourth man opened fire at the police team in a bid to save his associates. One of the shots fired by the man identified as Saddam allegedly hit Thakur in the abdomen. Though he was referred to Nagpur for advanced treatement, Rakesh Thakur succumbed at 5.00 AM on Friday morning, Seoni police said. Saddam managed to escape from the spot.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav paid tributes to both the slain cops and announced that their families will receive Rs 1 crore each in compensation. An eligible member from both families will be given jobs by the government, the CM added.
Promising that the absconding accused in the case of head constable Thakur will be arrested soon, Yadav said on social media platform X, “There is no place for crime and criminals on the land of Madhya Pradesh. No criminal will be spared.”
The opposition Congress has attacked the BJP government, especially the chief minister Yadav, who also holds the home portfolio over the incidents of killing of cops. Asking where Yadav was as incidents of crimes were increasing, leader of opposition Umang Singhar said on X “In the initial days of the new government, crime has increased in the state and the criminals are fearless. The administrative staff itself is being made victims of criminal incidents; the incidents of crime are increasing day by day, there is no fear among the criminals of the new government.”