Sheopur (Madhya Pradesh), May 27 (IANS) A day after an elderly man allegedly consumed some poisonous substance during a public hearing at the Sheopur Collectorate in Madhya Pradesh and later died during treatment, family members and residents staged a protest demanding action against officials.

The deceased, identified as Devendra Goyal, had reportedly visited the Collectorate on Tuesday to submit complaints regarding alleged encroachment on his shop.

Family members claimed that he had approached the administration several times earlier as well, but no action was taken on his complaints.

According to relatives, Goyal became distressed over the alleged inaction of officials and consumed a poisonous substance on the Collectorate premises during the weekly public hearing.

He was admitted to the hospital in critical condition, where he later died during treatment.

On Wednesday morning, members of the Agarwal community and local residents gathered at Jai Stambh in Sheopur city and staged a sit-in protest with the body.

Protesters raised slogans against Tehsildar Manisha Mishra and demanded her immediate removal.

The agitation disrupted normal life in the city as protesters blocked major roads, and markets remained closed in several areas in support of the protest.

Heavy police deployment was made in the area to maintain law and order.

“We repeatedly requested officials to resolve the matter, but nobody paid attention to his complaints. He was under stress for a long time,” a family member alleged during the protest.

Senior administrative officials, including SDM Gagan Meena, reached the protest site and held talks with the demonstrators.

However, the protesters refused to withdraw the agitation and demanded strict action against the officials concerned.

Congress MLA Babu Jandel also joined the protest and demanded registration of a murder case against the Tehsildar.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari demanded a fair investigation into the incident and compensation for the bereaved family.

He alleged that repeated complaints made by the deceased were ignored by the administration.

“This incident shows how public hearings have been reduced to mere formalities. A swift and impartial investigation must be conducted, and adequate compensation should be provided to the family,” Patwari wrote on X, reacting to the matter on Wednesday.

–IANS

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