Posted On July 31, 2020


INDORE: Dewas district collector Chandramauli Shukla on Thursday ordered a probe into the attack on revenue officers during an anti-encroachment drive after a woman set herself afire in Atwas village of the district.

Three officers were injured in the attack by the villagers after the woman poured kerosene and set herself afire. The incident caught the attention of political leaders with former chief minister Kamal Nath seeking a probe into the matter.

The incident came to light when the officers led by patwari Kishore Chavare, Patwari Dilip Jat and revenue inspector Rajendra Dhurve had deployed heavy machinery to remove crops sown on government land designated for a road.

A group of people protested the move and staged an agitation, Satwas police station in-charge SI SS Parihar told.

“One of the protesters, a woman, set herself afire, fanning anger among the protesters. The fire was immediately controlled,” he said adding the protesters turned violent and pelted stones at the officers. They also attacked them with sticks.

The woman had sustained burns on her face, shoulder and arms. She was being treated at a government hospital.

The sub-inspector said a case was registered against eleven persons, including the woman, under relevant sections of IPC and SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act. The accused were yet to be arrested.

As video of the incident went viral, Kamal Nath Tweeted targeting chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and said that a ‘sister’ immolated self to prevent bulldozers flattening her standing crop in Satwas. He demanded a probe into the matter.

Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma also visited the area and met the woman, assuring all possible help.

Dewas district collector Chandramauli Shukla has asked SDM Narendra Singh Dhurve to conduct a probe into the entire episode and submit a report within three days.