A 25-year old man, who was allegedly shot at by BJP MlA Tukoji Rao Puar's son and his accomplices in the neighbouring Dewas district, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday night at a private hospital. Dewas SP Abhay Singh while talking to the mediapersons on Sunday said, "Despite all efforts by doctors, Pratap lodhi, who was put on life support, couldn’t be saved. He was injured four days ago in the attack."
Singh further said that Vikram, the son of former State minister Puar, and his accomplices were earlier booked under relevant sections for attempt to murder. Now, they will be charged under harsher sections following lodhi's death. A search is on to nab Vikram while five of his accomplices have already been arrested, he added.
Besides, efforts are also on to identify 15-20 others, whose names have been mentioned in the FIR lodged in connection with the incident, the SP said. He said that Vikram and his friends had a dispute with some farmers over land evacuation that led to firing in which four people, including a woman, were injured on March 18 at Raghaugarh under Barotha police station limits in Dewas.
lodhi was critically injured in the firing and was rushed to hospital. The three others injured are out of danger, Singh added. Both parties have lodged FIRs against each other, he said adding that further probe was on in the case. Notably, lodhi, who had sustained head injuries in a land dispute between armed men led by Vikram Puar and a group of farmers at Raghogarh village, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital. He was on ventilator support since Wednesday.
On Sunday, police handed over lodhi's body to his family members after performing post-mortem at Maharaj Yeshwantrao Hospital in Indore. With tension brewing in Raghogarh village, police have deployed extra police force to deal with any untoward situation.