Anil Deshmukh Injured in Stone Attack Amid Election Campaign; BJP Claims It’s a Stunt | Mumbai News – Times of India
Nagpur: Former home minister Anil Deshmukh suffered head injuries after his vehicle was suddenly mobbed and attacked with stones and boulders near Bel Fata on Katol-Jalalkheda road on Monday. He was rushed to a local hospital before being shifted to a private hospitalin Nagpur. Later, his supporters thronged Katol police station, demanding arrest of the assailants. While BJP labelled the attack as a “stunt” to garner sympathy votes, the Opposition condemned the attack. A police contingent was despatched to Katol to curb escalation of tension in the area.
Deshmukh was returning after the last lap of the campaign at Narkhed for his son Salil, who’s fighting on an NCP (SP) ticket against BJP’s Charansingh Thakur, when he came under attack. An eyewitness said attackers were raising political slogans while hurling stones. A boulder was later recovered on the bonnet and another stone from under the seat alongside the driver, where the ex-home minister was seated. Sources said Deshmukh’s security was following him in a vehicle and the ex-home minister came under attack before his commandos could react.
MP Supriya Sule posted on ‘X’, “We strongly condemn the cowardly attack on senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Anil Deshmukh by anti-social elements while he was returning after campaigning. This incident is disturbing. We condemn the attack. In the past, Maharashtra has never witnessed such attacks during election times, as we value democratic principles. However, in BJP’s tenure, law and order in the state, particularly in Nagpur district, has deteriorated, and hooligans are roaming freely. “
The BJP camp, through its Katol legislative assembly in-charge Avinash Thakre, too released a video calling the attack on Deshmukh a big stunt to create sympathy. “It was a fake attack perpetrated by his supporters to win sympathy as they knew they were staring at a poll defeat. We condemn such activity to defame BJP workers, who were engaged in booth management,” Thakre said. Leader of opposition and Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar condemned the attack.
Deshmukh was returning after the last lap of the campaign at Narkhed for his son Salil, who’s fighting on an NCP (SP) ticket against BJP’s Charansingh Thakur, when he came under attack. An eyewitness said attackers were raising political slogans while hurling stones. A boulder was later recovered on the bonnet and another stone from under the seat alongside the driver, where the ex-home minister was seated. Sources said Deshmukh’s security was following him in a vehicle and the ex-home minister came under attack before his commandos could react.
MP Supriya Sule posted on ‘X’, “We strongly condemn the cowardly attack on senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Anil Deshmukh by anti-social elements while he was returning after campaigning. This incident is disturbing. We condemn the attack. In the past, Maharashtra has never witnessed such attacks during election times, as we value democratic principles. However, in BJP’s tenure, law and order in the state, particularly in Nagpur district, has deteriorated, and hooligans are roaming freely. “
The BJP camp, through its Katol legislative assembly in-charge Avinash Thakre, too released a video calling the attack on Deshmukh a big stunt to create sympathy. “It was a fake attack perpetrated by his supporters to win sympathy as they knew they were staring at a poll defeat. We condemn such activity to defame BJP workers, who were engaged in booth management,” Thakre said. Leader of opposition and Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar condemned the attack.
