Bhopal: A protest over the BJP’s choice of candidate for the upcoming Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh turned violent, leaving eight police personnel injured and bringing traffic on National Highway-44 to a standstill for nearly 11 hours.
The demonstration was reportedly led by supporters of former state Home Minister Narottam Mishra after the party announced Ashutosh Tiwari as its nominee for the bypoll. Protesters blocked the highway on Friday evening, causing massive traffic disruptions across Datia and neighbouring districts.
According to district officials, the blockade stretched through the night, creating a traffic backlog of nearly 20 to 25 kilometres. The disruption affected commuters travelling through Datia, Gwalior, Shivpuri and Jhansi, with buses, trucks and ambulances among the vehicles stranded on the highway.
Officials said repeated attempts were made to convince the protesters to clear the road peacefully. However, the situation escalated in the early hours of Saturday when stone-pelting allegedly began, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Authorities claimed several protesters retreated into a nearby building and continued throwing stones at security personnel. The clashes left multiple officers injured, including senior officials. Police vehicles and several other vehicles parked nearby also sustained damage during the unrest.
The district administration maintained that no lathi charge was carried out during the operation and said force was used only after efforts to resolve the situation through dialogue failed. A few people have been detained, and police said legal action would be taken against those found responsible for the violence.
Traffic movement on NH-44 was gradually restored after the blockade was cleared, while additional police personnel were deployed in the area to prevent any further disturbances.
The protest followed the BJP’s decision to field Ashutosh Tiwari for the Datia Assembly bypoll instead of Narottam Mishra, who had lost the constituency in the 2023 Assembly elections. The by-election is scheduled to be held on July 30, with counting of votes set for August 3.
