Police, Congress Workers Clash During Rewa Protest; Tear Gas Fired In Bhopal

On Thursday, a confrontation erupted between police and Congress workers in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, during a protest over the tragic death of Kalpana Mishra and her newborn child at a government hospital in the same city. Tear gas was deployed by the police after hundreds of Congress supporters approached Sirmour Square, defying barricades put in place.

Among the injured was Congress leader Vikrant Bhuria, who alleged that a police officer struck him across the eye with a baton. The Congress had been protesting at Agrasen Square for five days, with party members and leaders marching towards Sirmour Square where Mishra's father had been on an indefinite hunger strike for nine days, demanding prompt action.

Congress state president Jitu Patwari arrived in Rewa, initially joining the protest before meeting the victim's father. Subsequently, Patwari declared that all Congress MLAs would address the Kalpana Mishra case in the Assembly and vowed the party would meet the Governor and Chief Secretary to continue their pursuit of justice.

The police claimed that Congress workers reached the barricades and attempted to breach them, leading to a struggle between the two factions. In related news, junior doctors at Shyam Shah Medical College and Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa withdrew from general outpatient (OPD) services and routine elective procedures, citing workplace safety concerns and alleged violence and mistreatment of doctors.

They demanded enhanced security measures at the hospital, including a one-attendant-per-patient rule. The hospital services were consequently impacted, but critical ICU and emergency services, including trauma care, were promised to remain operational to ensure the wellbeing of seriously ill patients. Meanwhile, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation decided to lower its daily spot fine collection target to ₹3,000.