Adivasi Samaj members accuse authorities of delaying the FIR.
Police have registered a case against the son of a ruling BJP MLA in Chhattisgarh for allegedly assaulting a tribal man during the Dussehra celebrations in Bemetara district, an official said on Wednesday.
The incident took place on October 13 in Chechanmeta village located within the Saja police station limits, and a case was registered against Krishna Sahu on Tuesday, he said.
Sahu is the son of MLA Ishwar Sahu, who represents the Saja assembly segment.
The victim, Manish Mandavi (18), alleged in his complaint lodged on Monday that Sahu and his eight to nine friends abused and thrashed him when he was trying to settle a brawl, the police official said.
A dispute had broken out between Mandavi's friend Rahul Dhruv and Sahu, and the victim was trying to pacify them.
The accused also threatened Mandavi with dire consequences, the official said, quoting the complaint.
The accused were booked under sections 296 (obscene acts), 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation), and 3 (5) (common intention) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said.
No arrest has been made so far in this connection, and further probe is underway, he said.
Meanwhile, members of Adivasi Samaj from the area accused the administration of trying to cover up the case and pressuring the victim to compromise. They also accused the police of delay in registering the FIR.