On Monday, after the postmortem, his body was handed over to the family, which took it to Pali, his ancestral village in Haryana’s Faridabad district, for his last rites.Former MLA of Bayana in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district and BJP leader Atar Singh Bhadana, 68, was beaten to death allegedly by a group of 70-80 people at his stone-crusher plant on Sunday evening. His aide, Gagan Sharma, was left seriously injured in the attack.The attack happened in Bhonda village of Bharatpur, while Bhadana was visiting his unit, and was allegedly the result of a long-standing dispute over it, police said.Circle Officer (Bhusawar) Neeraj Bhardwaj told PTI that Bhadana and Sharma were attacked with sticks and stones.Bharatpur Superintendent of Police Rajesh Meena said the family had filed a complaint against 35-40 people. “Around 12 people have been detained, and several others are being investigated,” Meena told The Indian Express, adding that the spot where the incident happened is very remote.Bhadana and Sharma were taken to a local hospital in Weir first, before the former MLA was moved to SMS Hospital in Jaipur around 11.30 pm Sunday. Bhadana was declared dead on arrival. Sharma is at a hospital in Bharatpur.On Monday, after the postmortem, his body was handed over to the family, which took it to Pali, his ancestral village in Haryana’s Faridabad district, for his last rites.Also Read | Ajmer jailer took two inmates for housework. Now she’s jailed in same prisonAs per the PTI report quoting police, villagers have long accused Bhadana of encroaching on land meant for grazing and carrying out illegal mining. His stone crusher unit had been closed for about a year, and he was reportedly trying to restart it.Story continues below this adPTI said villagers had been sitting in protest for 10-15 days at the site, when Bhadana arrived with around 40 to 50 people on Sunday evening and tried to allegedly remove them. Villagers claimed that the BJP leader’s men also attacked them.Bhadana suffered serious head injuries, fractures in his hands and legs, and injuries on several parts of his body. An office comprising two rooms near the crusher site was also allegedly vandalised.Assistant Superintendent of SMS Hospital Pradeep Sharma said there was no pulse by the time Bhadana reached the hospital. “He had multiple fractures all over his body.”Many senior leaders arrived at the SMS mortuary as news of the incident spread. Former MLA Pralhad Gunjal said the “mob lynching” showed that law and order in Rajasthan had worsened under the BJP government.Story continues below this adFormer chief minister Ashok Gehlot posted on X that the murder had taken place in CM Bhajan Lal Sharma’s home district. “When 70-80 people surround and beat a former MLA to death… then in this regime, God himself is the protector of the common man.”The dispute leading to the attack on Bhadana had reportedly been ongoing for nearly two years, Gehlot said. “What were the police and administration doing for two years? When the warnings were clear, why was no action taken?… A government in which even its own former MLAs are not safe, how can it assure the public of security?”Bhadana entered electoral politics in Rajasthan in 1998, contesting the Bayana Assembly seat on a BJP ticket, and losing. He won the seat in 2003, becoming an MLA for the first time. In 2008, he contested the Nagar Assembly seat on a Congress ticket but lost.Later, he rejoined the BJP and served as president of the Rajasthan unit of the party’s Kisan Morcha.Story continues below this adOne of Bhadana’s daughters, Kiran Bhadana, took over as the Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti in April 2025, becoming the first woman to hold the post. Earlier, the IAS officer was Director of Public Relations and Information in Himachal Pradesh.Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India's most culturally and politically vibrant regions. Expertise and Experience Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to "read between the lines" of government orders and court rulings affecting the public. Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas: Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan's nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight. Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women. Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use. Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. ... Read More Tags:Rajasthan