SHIMLA/ JAIPUR — Former Rajasthan MLA Attar Singh Bhadana succumbed to critical injuries late Sunday night following a violent clash with locals over a stone crusher plant in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district.
Bhadana was the father of Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti Deputy Commissioner, Kiran Bhadana, an IAS officer.
The incident took place around 6:30 PM on Sunday in Bhonda village under the Weir police station area of Bharatpur.
A prolonged standoff between the plant management and local villagers over the reopening of a stone crusher unit turned violent.
Villagers, who had reportedly been staging a sit-in protest citing allegations of illegal mining and encroachment on local grazing land, confronted Bhadana and his associates.
The confrontation escalated into stone-pelting, and attackers allegedly assaulted the former legislator and his aide with sticks and stones.
Bhadana, along with his associate Gagan Sharma, suffered grave injuries during the altercation.
Bhadana was initially rushed to a local medical center before being transferred to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, where he died while undergoing treatment.
Upon receiving the news, DC Kiran Bhadana departed from Keylong for Rajasthan via Kullu.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep shock and sorrow over the tragic demise.
In a condolence message, CM Sukhu offered his heartfelt sympathies to the grieving family, praying for peace for the departed soul and strength for the bereaved during this difficult time.
Local leaders, including Lahaul-Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana, and administrative officials across the state also conveyed their condolences.
Local authorities in Bharatpur have deployed additional police forces to the village to preserve law and order, and an investigation is underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the fatal assault.
