‘BJP leader’ booked for beating woman in M.P.; video goes viral

A case has been registered against an alleged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader for beating a woman in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district, police said on Monday (February 9, 2026).

According to the police, the incident took place on Sunday morning (February 8, 2026), around 10.30 a.m. at Bhanwaar village in the Bahri police station area over a vegetable stall. 

Sidhi’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Arvind Shrivastava, told The Hindu that an FIR was lodged shortly after the incident against two men — Santosh Pathak and Rahul Dwivedi — who are absconding. The duo has been charged under Sections 296(b), 115(2), and 351(3) of the BNS.

Viral video

A purported video of the incident has also gone viral on the internet in which Mr. Pathak is seen punching and kicking Hema Singh and beating her with a stick. 

Sharing the video on X, the Congress said, “Madhya Pradesh’s Jungle Raj. This is BJP leader Santosh Pathak, who is brutally beating a woman in the middle of the road. On one hand, Narendra Modi pontificates constantly on women’s honour from the election podium; on the other hand, BJP leaders tear women’s honour to shreds.”

“But this isn’t the first time. Such instances are reported constantly; BJP leaders, drunk on power, are seen perpetrating atrocities against women. This is the true nature of the BJP,” the Opposition party said, demanding to know if the BJP government would act against Mr. Pathak.

Mr. Shrivastava, however, denied that the accused was linked to any political party and said that it was a case of “sudden provocation”. 

“The FIR was lodged within an hour of the incident. The accused are currently absconding but we have teams looking for them,” he said. 

According to the FIR, Ms. Singh alleged that Mr. Dwivedi had threatened her, warning her not to place her stall at the spot, which he claimed belonged to Mr. Pathak. She alleged that Mr. Pathak arrived at the scene, soon after, and the two men began to abuse and assault her.