5-hour protest at Kajlikheda police station ends after FIR against suspended constable

Times News NetworkBhopal: Members of the tribal community staged a protest for over five hours outside Kajlikheda police station on Thursday demanding registration of an FIR against a constable deployed on a Dial-112 first response vehicle (FRV), alleging that he assaulted a tribal driver returning from a wedding procession along with the bride and groom in the wee hours of May 21.The protest ended after Kajlikheda police registered a case against constable Jitendra Gurjar and FRV driver Vijay Mehra. Gurjar had already been suspended by the police commissioner following a departmental inquiry into the incident.Police, however, also registered a counter-case against complainant Mukesh Kanash on charges of misbehaviour and scuffling with the constable. Sources said Constable Gurjar had earlier also faced suspension and was reinstated around 10-15 days ago.According to police, the incident took place near D-Mart on the Kajlikheda-Kolar Six-Lane Road when constable Gurjar allegedly stopped a four-wheeler for checking and assaulted the driver for not halting immediately. It was alleged that FRV driver Vijay Mehra held the driver while the constable hit him with a stick on his back and thighs.Mukesh Kanash, a resident of Kekadiya village in Ratibad area, alleged that he was returning from a wedding function in Rehti in Sehore district around 3am along with members of the marriage procession, including the bride and groom, when the incident occurred. He claimed the police personnel abused and assaulted him without provocation.As it was late at night and he was accompanied by wedding guests, Mukesh did not approach police immediately. The next day, he informed local tribal leaders, who allegedly tried to contact Kajlikheda SHO Pallavi Pandey, but claimed they did not receive cooperation. Subsequently they filed a complaint before Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar.After noticing injury marks on Mukesh’s body, the commissioner directed that his medical examination be conducted and ordered an inquiry by ACP Alok Shrivastava. During the probe, the ACP examined footage from the FRV camera, recorded statements of family members travelling in the vehicle, and reviewed the medical report. Following confirmation of assault allegations in the inquiry report, constable Gurjar was suspended with immediate effect.Despite the suspension, the complainant side continued to demand criminal action against the accused personnel. Around noon on Thursday, tribal community members and local leaders gathered outside Kajlikheda police station and staged a protest for nearly five hours.Following the protest, police registered a case against constable Gurjar and FRV driver Mehra under sections related to assault and abuse. Simultaneously, a counter-case was lodged against Mukesh Kanash based on the constable’s complaint alleging verbal abuse and manhandling.