MP: BJP worker arrested for 'killing' mentally challenged man
The Madhya Pradesh Police arrested Bharatiya Janata Party worker Dinesh Kushwaha on Saturday after he was seen on video assaulting a 65-year-old man with mental illness on suspicion of being a Muslim. Bhawarlal Jain—the mentally challenged individual—was later found dead in the Neemuch district. "What's your name? Mohammed?" Kushwaha can be heard saying in the video, while slapping Jain and demanding his Aadhaar card.
Accused, husband of ex-BJP councilor, went into hiding
The one-minute video was shot at a place just 600m from where Jain's body was discovered. The accused is the husband of Bina Kushwaha, a former BJP councilor. According to KL Dangi, Inspector In-Charge at the Manasa Police Station, a team of 40 police officers tracked down Kushwaha, who went into hiding after the incident and was nabbed around 12km from the district headquarters.
BJP's reaction to Kushwaha's arrest?
"Kushwaha does not hold any position in the party and is simply a worker," said Pawan Patidar, the BJP's Neemuch chief. When asked about the assault, he said, "Anyone who has done anything wrong as per the law should be punished accordingly."
Kushwaha charged for murder
"Based on his suspicious behavior, an offense under Section 302 for murder, along with other relevant sections, has been registered against Dinesh Kushwaha," a police statement read. Kushwaha has also been charged under the IPC Section 304 (2), i.e., culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The video of the assault was reportedly discovered after Jain's body was handed over to the family on Thursday.
Jain lost his way home
"Jain's family had gone for a religious program at Chittorgarh fort in Rajasthan, from where he went missing on May 16," Dangi explained. "The family registered a missing report. He was mentally unstable and also had difficulty talking, as per the family. Unable to find his way back to Ratlam district's Sarai village, he landed up in Neemuch district," he stated.
Victim's brother accused Kushwaha of murder
Rajesh Jain, the deceased's younger brother, informed the police that the family had noticed injury marks on his dead brother's body and soon received a video of the assault. In a written complaint to the Madhya Pradesh Police, Rajesh accused Kushwaha of murdering his brother.
