Ujjain: Eyewitness fears for life

An eyewitness to the manhandling of Professor H S Sabharwal during a college election resulting in his death on Friday claimed that he was being 'pressurised' to withdraw his statement to the police that led to the arrest of two top Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad leaders.

The police has enhanced his security in view of the threat perception.

Madhav College peon Komal Singh Sengar is now being guarded by five constables. Earlier, three guards had been provided to Sengar after ABVP leaders were arrested and remanded to police custody for the alleged murder of Sabharwal, a police official told PTI.

Sengar told the NDTV news channel that he was being 'pressurised' to withdraw his statement that led to the arrests of ABVP leaders Shariranjan Akela and Vimal Tomar. He expressed fear for his life and said he had even been offered money to retract his statement.

"I can see my death before my eyes," Sengar said, adding: "I have been told not to reveal anything to anybody. Otherwise my family and I will be killed."

Akela and Tomar were shown by TV channels threatening another professor M L Nath after the student union election in the college was cancelled on August 26. Sabharwal was supervising the polls.

Since Sengar is an eyewitness to the manhandling of Sabharwal, and Madhya Pradesh ABVP President Akela and organisation secretary Tomar were booked in the case on the basis of his statement, appropriate security was necessary for him, the official said.

Sengar, who was undergoing medical treatment for some health complications after lodging the police complaint, has been discharged from hospital.

Akela and Tomar had surrendered to police in connection with the alleged manhandling of professor Nath and formally arrested by the CID for the murder of H S Sabharwal, who died shortly after the attack by students.

Narrating the sequence of events, Sengar claimed that a group of 15-20 people, including Tomar came up to the gate of the college and thrashed Sabharwal at the behest of Akela.

Asked what triggered the fear about his safety, Sengar said, "I am afraid because the head of the government has given the accused a clean chit even before investigations have begun," apparently referring to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's contention that Sabharwal's death was not a murder.

"He has died in an unfortunate situation over which I am greatly distressed," Chouhan had said.

Criticising the college staff and other eyewitnesses for allegedly not coming forward to record their statements, Sengar said, "If they cannot speak out for their own colleague, there is no doubt that no one will protect me either."