‘We are Rajputs, we fight for honour’:Accused admits to killing BJP leader by running SUV over him twice

We are Rajputs. We fight for honour. This is what the accused, who murdered the BJP leader, told the police. On May 12, three people crushed and killed Devendra Rajput, former BJP Mandal President, with a car on the Damoh-Sagar road. Police initially considered it an accident. After CCTV footage and an investigation, it was revealed that it was a pre-planned murder. A woman even fainted upon witnessing the incident. On May 13, the police arrested Vaibhav Rajput and Vishal Rajput, who were in the car. Abhishek Singh Rajput is still being searched for. The car belonged to Durgesh Rajput. The accused and the deceased are maternal uncle and nephew. Due to this, family members are unwilling to speak. To understand the whole incident, Bhaskar spoke to eyewitnesses. It also tried to ascertain the reason from SP Anand Kaladgi. ‘First hit the biker, then reversed over him again’ Near the incident spot on the Damoh-Sagar road, police questioned the owner of a sugarcane juice stall. His minor son, requesting anonymity and refusing to appear on camera, narrated the incident. He said that around 4 PM on May 12, a biker was travelling on the road when a Scorpio coming from behind deliberately rammed the bike near a teak tree. The rider fell after losing control. The occupants then allegedly reversed the vehicle and ran over the biker two or three times before fleeing. Blood was scattered across the road. ‘We were scared to death’ Sunita Patel, who sells fruits near the spot, was also present during the incident and reportedly fainted after witnessing it. Since then, she has remained in shock. Speaking to Bhaskar, she initially said she was at home when the incident occurred, but came out after hearing screams. At the gate, she saw a blood-soaked body lying on the road. ‘We were scared to death. We are heart patients and felt we would die there itself,’ she said, adding that her family members were also inside the house and that they are labourers who do not know anyone locally. Accused caught with the help of CCTV Rivalry ongoing due to Panchayat elections It came to light during the investigation that there was a dispute between the two families regarding the Panchayat elections. The deceased Devendra Rajput and the accused party are maternal uncle and nephew by relation. A rivalry has been ongoing between them since 2011. In the election of Baramansa Gram Panchayat, Devendra’s younger brother Trivendra became the Sarpanch. Ramesh Rajput, brother of Durgesh Rajput from the other side, lost the election. Since then, there was animosity between the two. About four years ago, people from the Dalit community attacked Durgesh Thakur. The accused party suspected that Devendra was helping the opponents in this matter. A few years ago, during Holi, Durgesh Rajput’s people assaulted Trivendra at a public event. Since then, tension increased between the two families. A case was registered against Durgesh under the SC-ST Act. Four FIRs were filed by both parties. The case is pending in court.