Bhopal: A youth was assaulted with sword by four persons including a close aide of state minister Vishwas Sarang when he objected to eve teasing with his sister at vegetable market in Ashok Garden. The man was severely injured in the incident. Ashoka Garden police have registered a case against four persons, including Pappu Mandi, who is said to be closely associated with Sarang, the minister for cooperatives.
Besides Pappu, his other three accomplices including Bablu Totla, Bablu Dalal and Ashish have also been booked. Ashoka Garden falls under Narela Constituency which the minister represents. The girl has accused the four persons of eve-teasing, however, police are terming the incident as a fight between the girl’s brother Asfaq and the group over trivial issue. No arrest has been made so far.
The girl, pursuing MBA, in her complaint to police said that she along with her brother Asfaq had gone to purchaser vegetable where Pappu Mandi and his other three friends started teasing her. When her brother objected to it, Pappu and his friends hit Asfaq with sword and lathis. He was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Police have registered case against the four under sections 294, 323, 506 and 34 of IPC but no arrest has been made so far. SHO Sunil Shrivastava said that Pappu lives in vegetable market (Mandi) and is close to minister Vishwas Sarang. He also campaigns for Sarang in elections. In fact, the victim Asfaq and Pappu Mandi are neighbours.
The fight between Asfaq and Pappu and his friends started over a petty issue, claimed SHO adding that during the fight Asfaq fell into drain and sustained injuries. It is not a serious issue but unnecessary it has been blown out of proportion, said the SHO. Local sources said that since the accused is reportedly associated with the minister, police are trying to make it look like a fight over personal issue rather than an eve-teasing incident. Police have not arrested any accused in this case.
