Civic official hit by BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya with bat admitted in ICU

The Indore civic body officer attacked by BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya with a cricket bat Wednesday has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Indore, a doctor said on Friday.

The officer, Dhirendra Singh Bais (46), was hit by a cricket bat-wielding Akash Vijayvargiya, the son of BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, in full public view when an Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) team went to demolish a dilapidated house at Ganji compound In Indore.

Bais was admitted to the ICU of a private hospital in the Palasia area late Thursday night for treatment of high blood pressure, said the doctor of the medical facility.

He is stable now, the doctor said.

The first-time MLA was arrested and produced in a magistrates court within hours of the assault. The court had sent him to jail under judicial custody till July 11.

The BJP legislators bail plea had been turned down two times by local courts in as many days.

Akash Vijayvargiya's counsels are now likely to move a bail plea in a special court in Bhopal designated to fast track cases related to MPs and MLAs of Madhya Pradesh, said a Bhopal-based district court lawyer.

The special court would seek case diary from the Indore district police after the bail application comes up for hearing before it, he said.

This will take some time and the MLA's bail plea is likely to be heard on Saturday, the lawyer added.

On Wednesday, June 26, Akash was arrested for attacking a civic body official with a cricket bat, after a heated argument over a demolition drive. Media persons surrounded him with cameras and recorded the entire incident.

Justifying his action, Akash said, "In the BJP, we have been taught, pehle aavedan, phir nivedan aur phir danadan. (first request and then attack)."

"I was very angry. I don't remember what all I did. Let's see what happens," he added. He said there were no women members in the team of the civic body officials who went to the residential building during the anti-encroachment drive. He also alleged that the officers dragged the women residents and verbally abused one of them.

Eye-witnesses said the locals were protesting against razing of a house when Akash, who was a part of the protest, warned the civic body staff of consequences if they do not leave the spot.