Congress corporator run over in MP’s Chhatarpur; his party says it is murder

Chhatarpur SP Amit Sanghi said preliminary police investigation indicated Salman Khan may have died in an accident

BHOPAL/CHHATARPUR: A 34-year-old Congress corporator in Chhatarpur district was run over by a vehicle in Rajnagar area during a confrontation between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers ahead of voting in Madhya Pradesh on Friday.

A police officer stands guard as women voters wait in queue to cast their votes at a polling booth during Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, on the outskirts of Bhopal. (PTI)

Congress legislator Vikram Singh alias ‘Nati Raja’, who is seeking re-election from the Rajnagar assembly segment, accused workers of the rival BJP of killing the corporation Salman Khan, a charge that was denied by the BJP.

Chhatarpur superintendent of police Amit Sanghi said Salman Khan died after a clash between the two sides but the preliminary investigation indicated his death was an accident.

“The clash happened between supporters of Congress and BJP. Later, corporator Salman Khan died. The body has been sent for post-mortem... Prima facie, the reason for death seems to be an accident with a car,” the district SP said.

Vikram Singh said he and Salman Khan were travelling to Akonsa village to investigate reports that liquor was being distributed in the area ahead of voting. On the way, Singh alleged, supporters of BJP candidate Arvind Pateriya attacked them on the way, pointed a gun at him and later, thrashed Salman Khan. “They mowed down Salman with a vehicle. He was rushed to hospital where he died,” Singh said.

Pateriya rejected the accusation: “The Congress MLA is lying. He is politicising an accidental death for political advantage. I have nothing to do with it.”