An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was allegedly crushed to death by a tractor belonging to suspected sand mafia on Saturday in the Naudhiya locality of Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district. According to an IANS report, the ASI, assisted by two others, was waiting to capture a culprit when the tractor laden with illegally mined sand crushed him to death.
The other two police personnel ran to save their lives and alerted senior officials.
The deceased was identified as Mahendra Bagri.
Police soon arrested three accused, including the individual who was driving the tractor. The main accused who was involved in the illegal mining is still at large, the police told the news agency on Sunday.
Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Shahdol D.C. Sagar, while speaking to ANI, on Sunday said that Bagri and his team went to arrest the accused with a warrant, and there he was run over. An inquiry is underway.
The driver of the tractor said the son of the tractor owner was also involved in illegal mining. He has also been arrested, the officer said.
“An FIR has been registered under IPC section 302/34, 414, 379 and different acts of mining,” the police officer added,
While speaking to PTI, ADG (Shahdol) D.C. Sagar said that the incident was “heart-wrenching”.
Police have announced a reward of Rs 30,000 against accused Surendra Singh, a resident of the Beohari region, around 40 km from district headquarters Shahdol, who remains on the run.
Commenting on the incident, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari said, "I am saying it continuously, in Madhya Pradesh, there is govt of 'karz, crime and corruption'. An ASI was murdered by running over a tractor on him. 17 rapes happen every day in the state as per NCRB data, when I raise these issues, they file FIR on me to induce fear, Congress' blood is in me, I can't be scared."