BJP Leader Accused of Assaulting Woman in MP’s Sidhi, Viral Video Triggers Outrage
A shocking case of alleged brutality against a woman has surfaced from Sidhi district in Madhya Pradesh, after a video purportedly showing a BJP leader assaulting a female vegetable vendor in public went viral on social media. The incident reportedly occurred on February 7, 2026, in Bahri village under the Sihawal Assembly constituency, barely 100 metres from the Bahri police station. In the viral footage, Santosh Pathak, identified as a BJP leader, is seen beating the woman with a stick, pulling her by the hair, throwing her to the ground, and repeatedly kicking and punching her. Several bystanders were present at the spot, but none intervened. The victim has been identified as Hema Singh, a resident of Bhanwar village. According to the complaint, the assault stemmed from a long-standing dispute over a roadside vegetable stall (gumti) near the bus stand, on land claimed to be government property. The woman alleged that Pathak had earlier vandalised her stall, forced her to vacate the ...