Neemuch elderly lynching: Six among prime accused taken into custody

Jain had gone missing while he was on his way to Chittorgarh to attend a religious event. Later his body was found at a place in the Neemuch district on May 19.

Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh):The Madhya Pradesh police on Tuesday arrested six persons, including the group admin of a WhatsApp group, for circulating an assault video of an elderly person. Mentally unstable, the victim identified as Bhanwar Lal Jain (65) from Sarsi village in the Neemuch district, was repeatedly assaulted and asked for Aadhaar Card by the accused. The assault that led to Jain's death was captured on a video that went viral on social media.

The accused Dinesh Kushwaha (38) also asked a minor boy to shoot a video of the incident. It was then circulated on social media. After receiving information about the incident, police stepped up legal action against the WhatsApp group admin and five others in the matter on Tuesday.

Jain had gone missing while he was on his way to Chittorgarh to attend a religious event. Later his body was found at a place in the Neemuch district on May 19. Jain's family members learned about the incident when they saw the video circulating on social media, showing a person repeatedly slapping him and asking for his Aadhaar Card.

Read:MP: After missing person found dead, kin say he was slapped repeatedly by man for identity; show video to cops

The next day on May 20, Jain's family contacted the police. The police immediately swung into action and arrested the accused along with five others in the matter. The accused persons were running a WhatsApp group called 'Swachch Bharat'. The action was initiated against them under Section 188 of the IPC, said L Dangi, the SHO of Manasa police station.

The incident created a furore in the state. President of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, Kamal Nath had reacted to the matter saying that the law and order situation in the state had gone for a toss, linking the incident with BJP, the ruling party in the state. Responding to Kamal Nath's remarks, BJP secretary Rajnish Agrawal said that the accused was simply an accused and BJP had nothing to do with such people. "The state government will not spare those found guilty, especially those indulging in such heinous act," he added.