Overview
- Police in Katni registered offences under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and BNS after a complaint by Rajkumar Chaudhary from Matwara village.
- Chaudhary alleges he was beaten, subjected to casteist slurs, and urinated on after opposing mining near his farm, and he received hospital treatment for several days.
- The dispute reportedly stemmed from gravel use for a gram panchayat project and alleged illegal excavation near Ramgarha hill.
- Four accused — sarpanch Ramanuj Pandey, Ram Bihari Pandey, Pawan Pandey, and Satish Pandey — have been named by police and are absconding as a search continues.
- Authorities say the sarpanch filed a separate case the same day alleging abuse and threats, and investigators are taking statements from witnesses who saw the altercation.