Months after armed brawl, police fail to trace BJP leader

Nagpur police are yet to trace a senior BJP leader, who has been “missing” for the past several months after being involved
in a brawl. Omprakash alias Munna Yadav, 52, a former corporator who was made chairman of the Maharashtra State Construction Workers Welfare Board with MoS status after the BJP government came to power in the state, has been slapped with various sections of the IPC, Arms Act and Bombay Police Act following a brawl on October 21 last year, including attempt to murder. He has been missing since.

Nagpur police, which submitted affidavits in lower court and the High Court stating he had criminal antecedents to oppose his bail, have failed to trace him. Besides, police have now dropped the attempt to murder charge, stating that the doctor’s report shows no serious injuries to the persons allegedly attacked by Yadav and his family. The brawl was triggered by a dispute with a neighbour’s family following bursting of crackers during Diwali. On Friday, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court heard Yadav’s plea for anticipatory bail. The HC rejected his plea.

The Diwali brawl had ensued between Munna Yadav’s family and neighbour Mangal Yadav’s family after Mangal Yadav’s sister objected to Munna Yadav’s sons bursting crackers in front of their house. Munna Yadav, his sons and wife allegedly attacked Mangal Yadav’s family with arms causing grievous injuries. Mangal Yadav filed a complaint with the police.

Munna Yadav also filed a counter-complaint against Mangal Yadav’s family, in which police slapped similar sections against the latter. An investigation found that hockey sticks, stones and bamboo sticks were used in the attack. A sword too was seized. The probe was later transferred to the Crime Batch. Meanwhile, Munna Yadav remains “untraceable” while his sons and wife surrendered before police.

The Crime Branch removed the attempt to murder section from both the complaint and counter-complaint on March 1, citing medical reports. Asked why Munna Yadav hasn’t yet been traced, Commissioner of Police K Venkatesham said: “We have been unsuccessful so far but we have chargesheeted him and slapped some stringent clauses against him.”