FIR against BJP MLA after his SUV 'hits' motorcycle in MP

An FIR has been registered against BJP MLA Rahul Singh Lodhi after his SUV allegedly hit a motorcycle in Madhya Pradesh's Tikamgarh district, killing two persons, a police official said on Tuesday.

Lodhi, who is an MLA from Khargapur Assembly seat in Tikamgarh and nephew of former Union minister Uma Bharti, however, said his vehicle was not involved in the mishap and that he was at a village 20 km away from the accident spot.

According to the police, the sports utility vehicle (SUV) of Lodhi on Monday allegedly hit the motorcycle at Pipawani village, located around 15 km from the district headquarters, on Tikamgarh-Chhatarpur road.

Two motorcycle riders died on the spot, while one received injuries and was undergoing treatment at a hospital in neighbouring Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, the official said.

"Based on a complaint filed by family members of the deceased, an FIR was registered against Rahul Singh Lodhi on Monday night," Baldevgarh police station in-charge Brijesh Kumar said.

He said an initial investigation revealed that the SUV was being driven by Lodhi when the accident occurred near Hanuman temple at Pipawani village around 2.30 pm on Monday.

The SUV has been seized, he added.

The case has been registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 304-A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving on public way) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), and Section 184 (driving dangerously) of the Motor Vehicles Act, he said.

The police earlier said all three motorcycle riders were killed, but on Tuesday informed that one of them did not die, but was injured and hospitalised.

"On Monday night, we received information that the person injured in the accident also succumbed on his way to Jhansi. But, we received information this morning that he was saved and undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jhansi," Kumar said.

The deceased were identified as Brijendra Ahirwar (25) and Ravi Ahirwar (23).

Meanwhile, Lodhi said his vehicle was not involved in the accident, and claimed he was in Futer village, located around 20 km from the spot.

The MLA said his driver informed him about the accident while on his way to Futer.

"I was in Futer village in my constituency and my driver was coming to pick me up. My vehicle was passing from the (Tikamgarh-Chhatarpur) road at the time of accident," he claimed.

"My driver informed me about the accident which involved other vehicles, and I alerted the local police station," Lodhi said.