Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A man allegedly hurled multiple slaps at BJP leader and lawyer Vimalprakash Taran on a busy road in Vidisha on Saturday. The victim was sitting on his scooter, when the accused waylaid him, hurled slaps one after the other and fled, leaving Taran perplexed.
The Vidisha Bar Association called for a bandh (shutdown) on Monday as part of its protest.
A video of the entire incident was recorded by a bystander, which is now circulating widely on social media. The video shows Taran on his scooter when the accused walks up and slaps him several times, leaving him stunned.
Watch the video below :
Following the attack, strong reactions from across the political spectrum were surfaced.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan condemned the incident, met Taran on Sunday, and assured him of full security.
After meeting the victim, he said the accused must face harsh punishment. He instructed the police to investigate all possible links behind the attack and ensure justice.
Taran’s wife met Shivraj Singh Chouhan, seeking protection for her husband and family, saying they feared for their safety.
According to information, the assault took place near City Center on Station Road, was captured on camera and quickly went viral on social media.
According to reports, the incident happened on Saturday afternoon when a man approached Taran, grabbed his collar, and repeatedly slapped him. The victim tried to resist but couldn’t stop the attack.
Later that night, Taran filed an FIR against the attacker. The accused, identified as Sanjeev Namdev alias Gandhi, was arrested on Sunday morning and publicly paraded through Vidisha after his arrest.
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo also criticised the assault. Opposition parties called the attack an example of “jungle raj”, saying that if ruling party leaders were being attacked, it showed how unsafe common citizens were.
According to the victim...
Taran alleged that the assault was part of a political conspiracy. He accused MLA and former Central Cooperative Bank chairman Shyam Sundar Sharma of plotting the attack.
Says he was threatened
He claimed he had a recent argument with Sharma, after which he was threatened. He also said that during the attack, the accused claimed he was “acting on the MLA’s orders.”
Taran has demanded a detailed police investigation into the matter and strict punishment for everyone involved.
Taran also warned that he might take an extreme step if strong action wasn’t taken.
Lawyers refused to attend court, demanding justice for their colleague.
