ASI crushed to death by illegal sand miner in MP’s Shahdol: Police

ASI Mahendra Bagri posted at the Byahari police station died on the spot, said police, adding that the tractor driver identified as Raj Rawat, is absconding

Updated on: May 5, 2024, 14:04:04 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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Bhopal: An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was crushed to death by a man driving a tractor-trolley laden with illegally mined sand in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, police said.

ASI Mahendra Bagri posted at the Bahri police station died on the spot, said police, adding that the tractor driver identified as Raj Rawat, has been arrested.

Police said they have also arrested one Ashutosh Singh, son of Surendra Singh, the truck owner and an illegal sand miner.

All three have been booked under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, police said.

Since the night of the incident, Surendra Singh has been absconding and a reward of Rs.30,000 has been announced for sharing information about his whereabouts, said police.

He was previously arrested in August 2023 in connection with an illegal sand mining case.

Shahdol superintendent of police (SP) Kumar Prateek said, “Bagri along with ASI Gaya Prasad Kannauje and constable Sanjay Dubey had gone to Baroli village to arrest an accused absconding in a criminal case. Meanwhile, a tractor-trolley was seen coming from the front near Khadhauli village. Bagri waved his hand to stop it, but the driver crushed him and took the tractor-trolley forward.”

After crushing the ASI, the accused jumped off the tractor and absconded. The tractor went out of control and fell from the bridge.

Meanwhile, a controversy erupted on conducting his postmortem on the floor in Bahri Civil Hospital. Requesting anonymity, a policeman said, “Bagri sacrificed his life while serving his duty and he was not given respect even after death. His postmortem was conducted by lying his body on a floor”.

Bahri sub-divisional magistrate Narendra Singh Dhurve said they were investigating the matter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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