➨ In May 2022, a local BJP leader’s nephew was booked for vandalising statues at a temple a day before Eid-ul-Fitr. Hindutva footsoldiers had tried to blame Muslims for the incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur district.

➨ On September 8, a BJP youth wing leader and three history-sheeters were among 13 booked for trying to incite riots through rumours about stone-pelting on an idol during a Ganesh Chaturthi rally in Ratlam district on September 7. 

In both instances, the district police was led by 2011 batch IPS officer Rahul Lodha, who was transferred to the rail department last week. While Lodha has called this transfer “routine”, there are several questions around the move. 

It came within four hours of the Sakal Hindu Samaj – a gathering of several Hindutva outfits – and local BJP leaders calling for action against the officer. It came two days after Lodha’s press conference debunking the “stone-pelting” claim in Ratlam. And it happened a day after a youngster named Prakash Maida died allegedly due to a lathicharge on protesters, who had entered a Muslim-populated locality and indulged in stone-pelting and vandalism.

A magisterial probe is underway. But questions have also surrounded Maida’s death, and the police lathicharge that allegedly led to it.

Changed statement

While BJP and other Hindutva groups have claimed that Maida died due to police assault, Lodha said his death was due to existing health problems. 

“Prakash Maida was admitted to Jeevansh Hospital on September 9 and later transferred to Ayushman Hospital, where he died. If his death had been due to assault or injuries, the hospital would have reported it to the police. A tahreer, or official report, is required for every unnatural death and has to be submitted to the local police…Maida was suffering from limb numbness and had kidney and liver issues for which he was already being treated. The hospital informed his family that he died from these ailments. The police have sent a detailed report to higher authorities with evidence showing that Maida died from his health conditions, not from police assault,” Lodha claimed.

On September 9, when Maida died at Ayushman Hospital, his cousin Pooja Katara told a local outlet – in a video reviewed by Newslaundry – that he was fine until he suddenly developed respiratory issues and problems with his limbs. She alleged that Ayushman hospital failed to properly care for him and repeatedly demanded money. “Report about this hospital. They are responsible for my brother’s death,” she told the media.

However, on September 11, Pooja Katara changed her statement while speaking to the media at the collectorate. “The people responsible for his death should be hanged. The police assaulted him so badly that he couldn’t even walk. His entire lower body was injured, and even his private parts were swollen.” 

Dr Ramesh Yadav from Ayushman Hospital’s emergency department said that Maida was brought in at 10 am. He was not conscious when he was brought in a critical condition and had already been given CPR at Jeevansh, the doctor said, adding that there were no injury marks, or signs of swelling, bleeding, haemorrhage or discoloration on his body.

When Newslaundry reached out to Katara for comment, she handed over the phone to a man who identified himself as Kalash. “Our main man will call and talk to you,” he said, refusing to comment. 

Katara’s remark wasn’t the only change in statement.

Another changed statement, and what led to the lathicharge

The Ganesh Pandal at Ukkala had been organised by Lakhan Rujvania and Kajal Kinnar, who were history-sheeters, and faced bootlegging and extortion cases, respectively. The two other history-sheeters booked in the case are Ajju Bargunda, who faces a murder bid charge, and Mukesh Banjara, who has 20 criminal cases. 

Jalaj Sankhla, an office-bearer of the BJP’s youth wing BJYM, was also among the 13 suspects who have been named in the FIR along with 150 unidentified persons.

A local who wished to remain anonymous and was a childhood friend of Rujvania alleged that it all began when the procession to install a Ganesh idol at Ukkala was passing through the predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of Mochipura. Around 30 other rallies had already crossed the area without any problem. At this point, Rujvania spread a rumour that stones had been thrown at the idol and sent out messages to Hindutva outfits, the local claimed.

A large crowd soon assembled outside the Station Road police station in the Do Batti area around 9 pm. The police initially filed an FIR against unidentified persons amid pressure from these outfits. But as the crowd did not disperse and instead marched to Mochipura, the police had to resort to lathicharge, said a police officer who insisted to keep his identity confidential over “fear that I might face the same consequences as the SP did”.

“The riot-like situation continued until 2 am and only came under control after the police resorted to lathi-charge. By around 4 am on September 8, the police filed an FIR against 13 identified individuals, including Lakhan Rujvania, Kinnar, Solanki, and Jalaj Sankhla,” the officer said.

Newslaundry has reviewed videos of the protest showing Hindutva groups calling for a ban on Muslim festivals in Hindu-majority areas and raising slogans against the police.

The officer claimed that the police brought Lakhan Rujvania to the police control room and showed him the CCTV footage of the area. “However, his description of where the stone pelting occurred kept changing. We checked the three locations he mentioned, as well as other areas, but found no evidence of stone pelting. The idol itself was undamaged.”

The press conference and memorandum

On September 8, Lodha held a press conference where he confirmed that the Ganesh idol was not damaged and no evidence of stone-pelting was found after a detailed investigation using CCTV footage. He urged people not to believe the rumours and morphed images on social media.

Stating that those fomenting unrest would not be spared, Lodha said that Rujvania had changed his description of the location three times even though CCTV footage from all three spots showed no stone-pelting. 

On September 10, members of the Sakal Hindu Samaj, including BJP district president Pradeep Upadhyaya and district general secretary Nirmal Kataria, submitted a memorandum to Ratlam collector Rajesh Batham, addressed to the chief minister. They accused the police of falsely dismissing the incident as a rumour and of not acting against Muslims involved in the episode. They also pointed to Maida’s death and warned of protests if appropriate action was not taken within 24 hours.

‘Unfortunate transfer’

Lodha is from Jalgaon and has a background in software engineering from the Pune Institute of Computer Technology. He has served in various districts, including Bhopal, Guna, Mandla, Burhanpur, and Ratlam.

In Bhopal, Lodha played a crucial role in solving the case of serial killer Adesh Khamara and arresting him. Khamara, a tailor, had murdered 34 truck drivers over a decade. Lodha was also pivotal in the rehabilitation of the Pardhi community in Guna.

There is local anger after the transfer.

Mukesh Puri Goswami, president of the Ratlam Press Club, said, “The way the SP was transferred was inappropriate and sent out a negative message. It also demoralised the police force…the sudden change in the family's statements was quite shocking.”

Asif Qazi, a local activist, said that Ratlam is one of the most communally sensitive areas in Madhya Pradesh, and a riot could have been disastrous. “Instead of being rewarded for his efforts, SP Lodha was transferred in an unceremonious manner.”

Anil Bhadauria, a businessman in Guna where Lodha was previously posted, said that he was an “effective officer who maintained excellent control over the district. He addressed complaints promptly and was a skilled investigator. He was straightforward and unbiased in his approach. It’s unfortunate that he has been transferred despite averting a riot.”

Muzaffar Ansari, a textile businessman in Burhanpur, said that many officers are swayed by political pressures and religious biases, but “Lodha remained honest and resisted such influences”.

Newslaundry reached out to BJP Ratlam district president Pradeep Upadhyaya for comment. This report will be updated if a response is received.

Asked for comment, Ratlam collector Rajesh Batham said, “I can comment only after the inquiry is complete.”

Lodha said, “I did my duty in the best way possible and will continue to do so wherever I will be posted.”