Video of ex-HP MLA slapped in Kangra surfaces on social media

A video surfaced on social media on Friday purportedly showing former Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA Jagjiwan Paul being slapped in Kangra, inviting severe criticism of the incident by the party's leaders in the state.

The incident had occurred on August 31, and a case was registered under section 323 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that very day, Kangra Superintendent of Police Khushhal Sharma said.

The SP told PTI that on August 31, Assembly Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar had laid the foundation stone of the Panchayat Bhawan at Rara village in his Sullah Assembly segment.

Former Sullah MLA Jagjiwan Paul and some others had staged a dharna there, opposing the spot where the foundation stone was being laid by the speaker and wanted it to be done somewhere else, he added.

While the dharna was underway, a person suddenly approached and manhandled Paul even though police were present, the SP said.

The person was detained, and the former MLA was asked to get a medical examination to initiate legal action but he refused, he added.

The police then recorded his statement on the spot and registered the case as per his statement, Sharma said.

Several Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, condemned the incident after the video went viral on social media.

Agnihotri alleged that BJP workers had slapped the former Congress MLA in the presence of the police.

State Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathour issued a statement, alleging, ''Jungle raj is going on in the state where BJP people associated with power are beating anyone and anywhere.'' PTI DJI IJT