Daijiworld Media Network – Katni
Katni, Oct 29: Two men accused of killing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nilesh Rajak in Katni district were arrested after a dramatic police encounter on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Akram Khan and Prince Joseph, were caught near Kajrwara following a high-speed chase.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Santosh Deharia, the duo opened fire on the police during the operation. “Officers retaliated, and four rounds were exchanged. Both accused were seriously injured and have been referred to Jabalpur for treatment,” he said.
The arrests mark the end of a massive manhunt launched after Rajak, president of BJP’s Pichda Morcha Mandal in Katni, was gunned down in broad daylight at Kaimor on Tuesday. CCTV footage showed the assailants wearing masks and firing multiple shots at Rajak as he rode his motorcycle through a busy marketplace. He was hit in the head and chest and died on the spot, triggering public outrage and protests across Katni.
The situation turned tense, with angry crowds accusing the police of negligence. Senior officers had to camp overnight in the area to restore order. The case took another tragic turn when Nelson Joseph, father of accused Prince Joseph, reportedly died by suicide after his son’s name appeared in the FIR.
Police sources said the murder was linked to a dispute over the harassment of a schoolgirl. BJP MLA and former minister Sanjay Pathak alleged that Rajak was targeted after he intervened in a case of alleged ‘love jihad’. “He stood up for a girl who was being harassed and was threatened for it. A month later, he was shot dead in the open,” Pathak said, adding that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has assured strict action.
Both accused were traced through technical surveillance and cornered early Wednesday. As they fired on the police, officers retaliated, injuring and arresting them. Heavy police deployment continues in Kaimor and Vijayraghavgarh to maintain peace, and authorities have urged the public not to spread communal rumours.