Indore, June 12 (IANS) A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, who had consumed poison at his residence in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa, died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Indore on Thursday.

The deceased identified as Santosh Pandey, who was BJP’s district general secretary in Khandwa, had consumed poison over an alleged longstanding property dispute, following which, he was rushed to Indore on Wednesday night.

When the BJP leader’s daughter went to serve him tea at his private office in Singhal Talai town in Khandwa on Wednesday, she found him lying unconscious on the floor.

She immediately alerted other family members as well.

Meanwhile, some of Pandey’s supporters (BJP workers) also reached at the spot, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

The deceased leader’s family also informed the local area police of the Vijay Nagar police station.

After initial treatment for half an hour, Pandey was referred to the Vedanta Hospital in Indore, around 150 km from Khandwa district.

A team of Vijay Nagar police station visited Pandey’s home (where he consumed poison) and began investigation into the matter.

“Police team has visited Pandey’s home and carried an inspection. We have recovered some documents related with the properties. Our investigation is still at initial stage. Further steps would be taken as per the outcome of the investigation,” a police officer at the Vijay Nagar police station said.

Meanwhile, a video surfaced on social media where the BJP leader was heard saying that he had purchased a land worth Rs 3 crore from an individual Upendra Mandloi a few months ago, however, neither the land was handed over to him nor his money was returned.

“When I requested Upendra Mandloi to return his money, they (Upendra and his business partners) started threatening him, which drove him to mental distress, and he consumed poison,” Pandey said, who was heard saying in the video recorded when he was admitted to the hospital.

Santosh’s brother Praveen Pandey told media persons that he was under severe mental stress for more than two months due to a land dispute.

“My brother was mentally distressed for more than two months. Those who forced him to take this extreme step should be punished,” he added.

–IANS

pd/khz