BJP MP alleges RPF jawans tried to kill him

Bhopal, Oct 11 (UNI) Mr Virendra Kumar, BJP MP from Sagar, today alleged that Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel had made a ''murderous attack'' on him during an anti-encroachment drive near Bina station on October 3.

Mr Kumar suffered head injury when RPF jawans rained lathi-blows on him as he interevened to stop removal of shops erected on encroached railway land.

Talking to reporters at Hamidia Hospital's intensive care unit here, Mr Kumar held Bhopal's Divisional Railway Manager P K Agrawal and RPF Commandant Sarika Mohan responsible for the whole incident.

Mr Kumar said he had met Mr Agrawal four days before the incident and urged him not to vacate the encroachment in view of Dussehra festival. But the DRM did not pay any heed to his request, he said, adding he also contacted Jabalpur's West Central Railway General Manager V K Manglik, who, he alleged, also failed to take any action.

The BJP MP said ''I went to discharge my duty as a people's representative but the RPF Commandant, who knew me, ordered lathi charge in a bid to kill me.'' To a querry, the BJP leader denied that he had instigated the people to resort to violence.

Mr Kumar demanded punitive action against the RPF officials responsible for assault on him.

UNI BDG SP 1546