Politics – Datia Highway Protest Over BJP Ticket Decision Leaves Police Injured
Politics – A major political protest in Datia turned violent after supporters of a senior BJP leader blocked a national highway, leading to clashes with police, injuries to security personnel, and hours of severe traffic disruption.
Thousands of supporters of former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra gathered in Datia after the Bharatiya Janata Party declined to nominate him for the upcoming bypoll. The demonstration intensified on Friday night when protesters occupied National Highway 44, causing traffic to come to a standstill for several hours and disrupting travel across the region.
Highway Blockade Disrupts Traffic Across Four Districts
The protest created a massive bottleneck on NH-44, one of the region’s key transport corridors. According to Datia MP Swapnil Wankhede, the road remained blocked for nearly 11 hours before normal movement resumed around 5 a.m. on Saturday. Long lines of stranded vehicles, stretching nearly 20 to 25 kilometres, were reported during the blockade.
Wankhede said the traffic disruption affected Datia, Jhansi, Shivpuri and Gwalior, with Gwalior witnessing the most severe congestion. Several essential services were also impacted as government buses, ambulances and commercial transport vehicles remained trapped in the traffic jam for hours.
Police Efforts to Defuse Situation Failed
Officials said law enforcement personnel spent much of the night attempting to persuade demonstrators to clear the highway through dialogue. According to Wankhede, repeated appeals failed to convince the protesters to disperse peacefully.
He stated that another round of negotiations began after 4 a.m. However, the situation escalated when some individuals allegedly started throwing stones at police personnel, triggering a confrontation between both sides.
Several Officers Injured During Clash
Police responded by using tear gas to disperse the crowd after the protest became increasingly violent. Authorities said some protesters moved into a nearby office building and allegedly continued stone-pelting from inside the premises.
Wankhede said eight police personnel suffered serious injuries during the incident. Among those hurt were the Sub-Divisional Police Officer, who reportedly sustained a severe hand injury, along with the Superintendent of Police and the Additional Superintendent of Police. Wankhede also said he received a head injury during the violence but was protected by his helmet.
Damage Reported to Police and Civilian Vehicles
Authorities said the unrest caused damage to several vehicles parked near the protest site. According to Wankhede, a number of vehicles were overturned, while windows of multiple trucks and three to four police vehicles were shattered during the violence.
He maintained that police exercised restraint throughout the operation and did not resort to stone-pelting or a baton charge. Instead, officers focused on negotiations before using tear gas only after the gathering turned violent and posed a threat to public order.
Administration Warns of Strict Action if Violence Continues
Following the restoration of partial control, the administration appealed to those still gathered inside the building to leave peacefully. Wankhede said officials preferred a peaceful resolution and did not intend to initiate punitive measures against individuals willing to cooperate.
At the same time, he warned that authorities were prepared to take firm action if groups attempted to emerge together and create further disturbances. Police continue to monitor the situation while maintaining security in and around Datia to prevent any fresh incidents.