Madhya Pradesh ruling BJP MLA Pradeep Patel was detained on Thursday night for a second time in two days, soon after being released by the police earlier in the evening after two days of initial detention, as the MLA again tried to go with his supporters to a disputed encroached site near a temple in Devra village of Mauganj district.
Soon after the police released Patel from his initial confinement on Thursday evening, the MLA from Mauganj constituency again tried to go to the encroached site near the Mahadevan Temple in Devra with his supporters.
The police and district administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) on 19 November, after taking the MLA and his supporters into custody for the first time.
When the MLA tried to reach the spot again, despite the prohibitory orders still in force, the police detained him for the second time.
According to Mauganj Collector Ajay Shrivastava, BJP MLA Pradeep Patel was detained at the Devra over bridge for breaking law and order on Thursday night. The MLA was confined in a room of the guesthouse at Naigarhi.
On 19 November, the police had detained Pradeep Patel and several of his supporters after they reached the disputed land site to remove an encroachment, resulting in communal tension and stone pelting that left at least five people injured.
According to information, members of two communities are having a long-standing dispute over the piece of land near the Mahadevan Temple at Devra village in the area, with both sides claiming the land to be theirs.
On Tuesday, the dispute had escalated and members of both communities came face to face.
On learning about the matter, BJP MLA from Mauganj, Pradeep Patel, had reached the spot along with his supporters. The BJP workers allegedly tried to break down a wall that was reportedly erected by the members of the minority community.
That had ignited the situation and there was stone pelting from both sides. At least five people sustained injuries.
Senior officers of the police and district administration also rushed to the spot and detained MLA Patel on Tuesday late evening.
He was released on Thursday evening, but detained again the same night.