Section 163 Imposed in Datia After BJP Ticket Row; Narottam Mishra Appeals for Calm

Brief By Newsbrief / 12:57 PM on 11 Jul 2026

Authorities have imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Madhya Pradesh's Datia following unrest over the BJP's decision to field Ashutosh Tiwari instead of senior leader Dr. Narottam Mishra in the Datia Assembly by-election. The restrictions prohibit public gatherings, rallies, protests, processions, inflammatory social media posts, and the assembly of five or more people without prior permission. The administration tightened security after protests intensified and law-and-order concerns escalated across the district.

Amid the controversy, BJP leader Dr. Narottam Mishra appealed to party workers to maintain peace and respect the party's decision. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, he urged supporters not to resort to extreme forms of protest, including self-harm or acts involving petrol or kerosene. He said any differences of opinion should be raised through the party's internal forums. Meanwhile, a road blockade that began around 5:30 pm on Friday continued until 5:00 am on Saturday, resulting in a traffic jam stretching nearly 15–20 kilometres on the Gwalior-Jhansi Highway and causing major inconvenience to commuters.

Around 4:30 am on Saturday, clashes broke out between protesters and the police. According to the administration, stone-pelting during the confrontation left eight police personnel, including the Superintendent of Police (SP) and the Bhander SDOP, injured. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, after which many protesters moved towards the nearby BJP office. The District Collector clarified that no lathi-charge was carried out during the operation. Authorities said additional police forces have been deployed in the district, and the situation is being closely monitored to prevent any further escalation.