Datia violence: 8 cops hurt as BJP workers clash over bypoll candidate
Synopsis
A bypoll candidate announcement in Datia spiralled into street violence — eight cops injured, a highway blockaded, and a police vehicle overturned — before former Home Minister Narottam Mishra stepped in to urge calm. The BJP's decision to field Ashutosh Tiwari over Mishra has exposed a sharp factional fault line, with district-level office-bearers already resigning days before the 30 July vote.
Key Takeaways
Eight police personnel , including SP Mayur Khandelwal and the Bhander SDPO , were injured in stone-pelting by BJP workers in Datia on 11 July .
Protesters blocked the Gwalior-Jhansi highway from Friday evening , stranding buses, trucks, and an ambulance.
The BJP named Ashutosh Tiwari — not Narottam Mishra — as its candidate for the 30 July Datia Assembly bye-election.
Datia district BJP president Raghuveer Saran Kushwah and other office-bearers resigned in protest.
Narottam Mishra publicly urged supporters to stop road blockades, arson threats, and violence, calling them improper ways to express dissent.
Heavy police deployment has been made around the BJP office and sensitive areas to prevent fresh violence.
Former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Saturday, 11 July urged his supporters in Datia to respect the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s candidate decision for the upcoming Assembly bye-election and maintain peace — hours after eight police personnel were injured when party workers clashed with cops and blockaded the Gwalior-Jhansi highway.
What Triggered the Violence
The unrest erupted after the BJP named Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the 30 July Datia Assembly bypoll, bypassing the senior leader Mishra. Supporters demanding Mishra's nomination began blocking the Gwalior-Jhansi highway from around 5.30 pm on Friday, stranding buses, trucks, and even an ambulance. The standoff turned violent in the early hours of Saturday when stone-pelting broke out as police moved in to clear the blockade.
Injuries and Damage
Datia Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal and the Bhander Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) were among the eight police personnel injured in the stone-pelting; six of them were admitted to hospital. Several vehicles were damaged — a police vehicle was overturned, the SDPO's vehicle was damaged, and windows of multiple trucks were smashed. Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede confirmed that authorities used tear gas to disperse the crowd and denied any lathi-charge.
Administration's Response
'There was a traffic jam from around 5.30 pm on Friday. Buses, trucks and even an ambulance were stranded. We tried to convince the protesters, but as soon as we reached the spot, stones were pelted at us. We then used tear gas to disperse the crowd. There was no lathi-charge,' Wankhede told reporters. SP Khandelwal said the situation was subsequently brought under control, with nearly 3,000 people having attempted to disrupt normal movement in the town. Heavy police deployment has since been made around the BJP office and other sensitive areas.
Mishra's Appeal to Supporters
Narottam Mishra issued a firm public appeal, saying: 'From the visuals and videos I have seen, I request everyone not to indulge in acts such as pouring petrol or arson. As I said yesterday, roads must not be blocked. There are proper ways to express one's views. This is not the way to express sentiments.' He reiterated that the candidate selection was a party decision that must be respected.
Political Fallout
The BJP's choice to deny Mishra a ticket has triggered visible internal dissent. Several office-bearers, including Datia district BJP president Raghuveer Saran Kushwah, have resigned in protest. Polling for the Datia Assembly bye-election is scheduled for 30 July, and with the party already managing resignations and street violence, the episode signals deeper factional stress within the state unit ahead of the vote.
Point of View
The anger doesn't stay in WhatsApp groups — it spills onto highways. The BJP's internal discipline, which has historically been its electoral edge over rivals, is visibly fraying at the district level in Madhya Pradesh. With resignations already in, the party faces a harder task: winning the 30 July bypoll while managing a local unit that feels sidelined by its own high command.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did violence break out in Datia on 11 July?
Violence erupted after the BJP announced Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the 30 July Datia Assembly bye-election, bypassing senior leader Narottam Mishra . Supporters of Mishra blockaded the Gwalior-Jhansi highway and clashed with police, injuring eight officers.
How many police personnel were injured in the Datia clashes?
Eight police personnel were injured in stone-pelting by BJP workers, including Datia SP Mayur Khandelwal and the Bhander SDPO . Six of the eight were admitted to hospital for treatment.
What did Narottam Mishra say about the protests?
Mishra publicly appealed to his supporters to stop road blockades, refrain from arson or petrol-pouring, and respect the BJP's candidate decision. He said there are 'proper ways to express one's views' and that violence is not among them.
Who is the BJP's candidate for the Datia bypoll?
The BJP has named Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the Datia Assembly bye-election scheduled for 30 July . The decision to overlook Narottam Mishra triggered the protests and subsequent violence.
What is the political fallout from the Datia violence?
Several BJP office-bearers, including Datia district BJP president Raghuveer Saran Kushwah , have resigned in protest against the party's candidate choice. The resignations signal factional stress within the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit ahead of the bypoll.
