BJP MLA who slapped police constable surrenders

Avsare was filmed slapping a police constable during a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ launched by the party in the district on the occasion of India’s 70th Independence Day

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Ramchandra Avsare, who was booked on the charges of slapping a police constable a few days ago, surrendered before the Tumsar police in Bhandara district — around 80km from Mumbai — and recorded his statement.

Avsare was filmed slapping a police constable during a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ launched by the party in the district on the occasion of India’s 70th Independence Day.

Read: BJP MLA Avsare slaps a police constable in Bhandara, video shows

Avsare participated in the yatra, which was to culminate in Tumsar. During the yatra, Avsare’s driver kept stopping to click photos, an act which irked the policemen on security duty. The policeman, Raju Sathwane, allegedly told the driver to stop clicking photos and to move the car as it was blocking traffic.

This did not go down well with Avsare, who found out about Sathwane’s actions after the yatra ended. Avsare went to the police station, called Sathwane and started hitting and verbally abusing him. He accused Sathwane of slapping his driver. He then left the police station with his driver.

The district police said Avsare denied beating up the constable.The police registered an offence under section 353 of the Indian penal code for assaulting a public servant.

Rajendra Mhatre of the Tumsar police said Avsare had been summoned by the police to record his statement . “He was allowed to leave after recording his statement,” he said. Investigations are ongoing.