The incident drew objections from the ruling BJP and VHP, prompting an investigation into the use of force and the registration of an FIR against unknown individuals involved in the protest.
In a swift response to the lathi-charge incident on Bajrang Dal activists staging an anti-drug mafia protest at a busy intersection in Indore, two officers, including a deputy commissioner of police, were promptly removed from their field postings within 24 hours. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in the state expressed strong objections to the baton charge that took place late Thursday night at Palasia intersection, according to PTI reports.
Police Commissioner Makrand Deoskar informed PTI that DCP Dharmendra Singh Bhadoria has been relieved of his current duties and reassigned as commandant at the Rustomji Armed Police Training College (RAPTC) in the city. Additionally, the officer-in-charge of Palasia police station, Sanjay Singh Bais, has been attached to the police line.
An FIR has been registered against "unknown persons" under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting, disobedience to order, and causing hurt to deter public servants from performing their duties, in connection with the Bajrang Dal protest, as confirmed by Commissioner Deoskar.
Speaking on behalf of the BJP's Indore unit, Gaurav Randive criticized the police's use of force, stating, "Bajrang Dal activists were brutally caned by the police, which led to 11 persons suffering injuries. The action against the protestors is totally unjustified."
Sohan Vishwakarma, the VHP's secretary for the Malwa region, alleged that certain police officers selectively targeted Bajrang Dal activists due to past grievances. He demanded the dismissal of DCP Bhadoria, along with an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and three station house officers, within 48 hours. Vishwakarma warned that if these demands were not met, the VHP would initiate a "violent agitation" in Indore and Ujjain divisions.
According to DCP Bhadoria, the police lathi-charged the Bajrang Dal activists and arrested 11 of them after they conducted a sit-in protest concerning the registration of "false" cases against the outfit's members who had reported individuals involved in the illegal drug trade. Bhadoria explained that the activists gathered at the busy intersection without permission and disrupted traffic, leading to their removal using mild force when they refused to disperse.
Vishwakarma disputed Bhadoria's account, stating that the purpose of the activists was not to inconvenience the public by blocking traffic. He claimed that the activists did not engage in stone pelting as alleged by the police.
State Home Minister and government spokesperson Narottam Mishra took note of the incident and announced that an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP)-level officer would be appointed to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the incident.