Former Rajasthan BJP MLA Atar Singh Bhadana died after he was allegedly attacked with sticks and stones during a confrontation linked to the proposed reopening of a stone crusher in Bhonda village, Bharatpur district, police said on Monday.
The incident took place on Sunday night when Bhadana visited the stone crusher site. His associate, Gagan Sharma, was also allegedly attacked during the confrontation. Both men sustained serious injuries and were initially taken to a hospital in Weir, according to circle officer Neeraj Bhardwaj. Bhadana was later referred to SMS Hospital in Jaipur, where he died during treatment. Sharma was referred to a hospital in Bharatpur.
The dispute over the crusher had continued for some time. Police said local villagers had accused Bhadana of encroaching on grazing land and undertaking illegal mining activities. The stone crusher had reportedly remained closed for about a year, while efforts to restart it had led to renewed disagreements between Bhadana and residents.
Villagers said they had been holding a peaceful protest near the site for between 10 and 15 days against the proposed reopening. They alleged that Bhadana arrived on Sunday evening with around 40 to 50 people and attempted to remove those protesting, after which a confrontation broke out. The allegations have not been independently established in the report.
Police said both sides had accused each other of assault. The account of the events leading to the attack remains contested, and the authorities have not announced the filing details or the names of any accused persons in the material available. Additional police personnel have been deployed in Bhonda village to maintain law and order following the death.
The dispute also highlights the local administrative challenge surrounding stone-crushing operations, which supply material used in construction while raising questions about land access, grazing areas and alleged mining violations. In this case, the immediate conflict centred on whether the crusher should reopen and on the competing claims of the operator and villagers.
Bhardwaj said Bhadana’s body had been kept in the mortuary for a post-mortem examination. Further police action and the findings of the investigation are expected to establish the sequence of events and the responsibility for the alleged attack.
