Bhopal: Shaligram Garg, the younger brother of Bageshwar Dham's head priest, Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, was recently accused of shooting a young man. Motilal Kushwaha, who was seriously injured in the incident, has now, for the first time, shared his side of the story exclusively with The Mooknayak.

Motilal claims the attack was not a result of a personal grudge but stemmed from a long-standing land dispute related to the proposed Gurukulam of Bageshwar Dham. He alleges constant pressure was exerted on him to sell land adjacent to the Gurukulam, and this violent incident was a direct consequence of that conflict .

The Mooknayak team visited Koda village, about three kilometers from Garha village in Chhatarpur district, to meet the injured Motilal at his home. The team arrived on the same day he returned from a hospital in Gwalior after treatment. Family, relatives, and villagers had gathered at his house.

During the conversation, Motilal stated that one bullet struck his abdomen, while another grazed his ear. He was seriously injured, initially taken to a local hospital, and then referred to Gwalior for better treatment.

Motilal Kushwaha says the entire dispute involves about 18 acres of land belonging to Pushpendra Pandey and his family, which is adjacent to the land proposed for the Gurukulam. He claims that Shaligram Garg and his associates were pressuring the Pandey family to sell the land. When the family refused, they started receiving threats. Motilal said he accompanied Pushpendra Pandey to file a complaint at the Rajnagar police station and believes he became a target after that complaint.

According to Motilal, about a month and a half after filing the complaint, Shaligram Garg arrived in Koda village with his associates. When Pushpendra Pandey was not home, the accused came to his house. There was an argument and a scuffle. When he and his family protested, it is alleged that Shaligram Garg took out his pistol, fired a warning shot, and then fired directly at him. Motilal says one bullet hit his abdomen, and another grazed his ear. He collapsed on the spot. The accused fled after the incident. A video of the event also went viral on social media, showing the accused running from the scene.

Local residents confirm the area was tense for a long time over the Gurukulam land. They mentioned several disputes and arguments had occurred, but no one expected it to escalate to a shooting. The incident caused panic, and police arrived at the scene to take the injured to the hospital.

Police have registered a case under various sections, including attempt to murder, and are investigating the land dispute angle. Officials say they are probing the incident based on evidence, eyewitness accounts, and the viral video. Final conclusions will be made after a thorough investigation.

Aman Kushwaha, the younger brother of the injured Motilal and an eyewitness, told The Mooknayak that Shaligram Garg first came to their house, argued, and then fired a warning shot before shooting Motilal. He claims that after the incident, he handed over the keys to Shaligram Garg's Fortuner car and his mobile phone to the police. However, he alleges that in the seizure memo and complaint, the police only mentioned the car keys and did not document the mobile phone. Aman believes the phone might contain videos of other incidents and that the police are not conducting a fair investigation but are trying to protect Shaligram Garg.

Aman also alleged that Shaligram Garg and his associates have long dominated the area, and many locals are afraid to speak out. He said villagers are constantly pressured to sell land for the Gurukulam and are threatened.

The Pandey Family's Version

70-year-old Asharam Pandey from the Pandey family claimed that there is an attempt to grab their 18 acres of agricultural land, which is adjacent to the proposed Gurukulam. He said Shaligram Garg had been pressuring them to sell for months, and after they refused, they started receiving threats. The family filed a complaint at the Rajnagar police station, but the tension escalated, leading to the shooting of Motilal. The Pandey family has demanded a fair investigation into the entire land dispute.

Chhatarpur Police have arrested Shaligram Garg and his associate Ankit Mishra in connection with the case . Reacting to the incident, Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri distanced himself from his brother, stating he has had no connection with him for three years and called for strict legal action if he is found guilty . He also requested that he not be dragged into every matter involving his family .