Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh), June 9 (IANS) Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government over the alleged murder of a 19-year-old Dalit youth in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur.

The youth was shot dead during a scuffle which broke out at a government-run ration distribution centre (fair price shop) in Bilhari village of Chhatarpur on Sunday, nearly 350 km from Bhopal.

The deceased was identified as Pankaj Prajapati.

According to the police, Pankaj had gone to receive ration at a distribution centre where he was involved in a heated exchange with a salesman (ration distributor) Ramsevak Arjaria.

The argument escalated as several other people from both sides joined in.

In the meantime, Pankaj sustained bullet injury, and he collapsed.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital; however, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Who exactly fired at Pankaj is yet to be known as the police said the investigation was still underway.

However, police have booked three persons, including a local BJP worker Praveen Pateria, his brother Naveen Pateria and salesman Ramsevak Arjaria.

They have been booked under Sections 115 (2), 109 (1) and 296 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Responding to the incident, Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that Pankaj Prajapati was shot dead in broad daylight because of being a Dalit and he demanded his share of rights.

Taking to social media platform X, he said: “An FIR was not registered, post-mortem was postponed because the accused belongs to the BJP.”

Through this incident, Rahul Gandhi also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completion of 11 years in the government.

“Eleven years of Pm Modi-led government have been full of humiliation, violence and discrimination against Dalits, Adivasis, Backward Classes and the minorities,” he wrote on X.

He also demanded the accused persons be arrested immediately and they should be punished for their crime.

“I stand by Prajapati’s (victim) family and every Bahujan of the country. This is a fight for respect, justice, and equality, and we will win this fight at all costs,” he also wrote on X.

–IANS

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