A BJP worker from Madhya Pradesh who was seen assaulting an elderly man on video has been arrested after massive public outrage. The victim, who lived with mental illnesses, was later found dead.
The attacker, identified as Dinesh Kushwaha, is a BJP worker and husband of a former BJP corporator.
State Home Minister Narottam Mishra had said a case was registered in the Neemuch district under sections of murder and death by negligence.
Police said that the elderly man, Bhanwarlal Jain, was from Sarsi in Ratlam district and went missing on May 15 after a visit to a religious event in Rajasthan. Following a missing complaint, police put out an alert with his photographs. His body was found on a roadside in Neemuch district yesterday. It was handed over to his family and they performed the last rites.
A horrifying video showed a man asking him if his "name is Mohammed" and repeatedly assaulting him as he struggled to answer. He keeps asking the question to the elderly man and slaps him across the face. "Tell your name properly, show your Aadhaar card," he adds.
The 65-year-old appears to be struggling to understand the situation he is in.
After the horrifying video emerged, family members of Mr Jain reached the police station and demanded Kushwaha's immediate arrest.
KL Dangi, in charge of the police station where the FIR was filed, said the video was probably shot on Thursday.
The Opposition slammed the ruling BJP after the video surfaced. Congress MLA Jitu Patwari accused the BJP of "lighting a furnace of hate".
State BJP secretary Rajneesh Agrawal said, "The incident is unfortunate. An accused is an accused and it has nothing to do with party politics. None of the people involved in such an act will be spared by the state government."
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