Madhya Pradesh Polls: Congress candidate's close aide killed in group clash

An aide of a Congress candidate was killed after two groups fought in the Rajnagar constituency of Madhya Pradesh and a few clashes were reported in other parts of the state, where assembly elections are being held on Friday, officials said.

Five persons were injured in a skirmish between two groups in the Mhow area of Indore district, while two men were wounded in a clash in Morena district’s Dimani constituency, where Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar is contesting, they said.

According to Chhatarpur Superintendent of Police Amit Sanghi, supporters of two political leaders faced off in the Rajnagar constituency in the early hours of Friday which resulted in the death of one Salman.

The Congress candidate for the seat, Vikram Singh, alias Nati Raja, has alleged that Salman used to drive him around. However, BJP nominee Arvind Pateria dubbed the incident a conspiracy and sought a judicial probe into it.

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To ensure the peaceful conduct of polls in the sensitive Sumawali assembly constituency of Morena district, the police asked BJP candidate Andal Singh Kansana, Congress nominee Ajab Singh Kushwaha and BSP’s Kuldeep Singh Sikarwar to sit in one place.

Morena Superintendent of Police Shailendra Singh said, “The trio was called for a meeting the previous day where they agreed upon coming to the police line. This has been an old practice,” he added. Morena is a part of the Chmbal region that was once infamous for producing dreaded dacoits. Earlier, SP Singh had said that a clash between two groups was reported from Mirdhan village over attempts to stop voters from casting their ballots in Dimni constituency in which two persons were injured. He said some channels ran inaccurate reports claiming that there was firing and subsequent bullet injuries in the village.

“Two persons, identified as Ajay Sharma and Rampratap Sharma, were injured by sticks in the fight. The news of bullet injuries is wrong,” he said, adding that additional police personnel have been deployed in the area.

Meanwhile, five men were injured in a fight between two groups of political parties at Manglia village of Mhow tehsil on Friday morning, Sub Divisional Officer of Police Dilip Chowdhary told PTI.
In the Jhabua constituency, Congress candidate Dr Vikrant Bhuria’s security guard was injured after stones were pelted at them around Thursday midnight.