Former Gujarat MLA Jayanti Bhanushali Shot Dead in Moving Train

Jayanti Bhanushali was shot dead by unknown assailants between Kataria and Surbari stations on 8 January.

Former BJP MLA Jayanti Bhanushali

(Photo Courtesy: YouTube screenshot)

Former Gujarat BJP Vice President and former MLA from the Abdasa constituency in Kutch, Jayanti Bhanushali, was shot dead in the first-class compartment of Sayaji Nagri Express (19116) on Tuesday, 8 January. Bhanushali was on his way from Bhuj to Ahmedabad.

According to sources in the police department, Bhanushali had boarded the H-1 bogie and was allotted the ‘G’ cabin, which he shared with another passenger Pawan Mori, who boarded the train from Gandhidham in Kutch; the cabin had four berths.

Jayanti Bhanushali’s corpse.(Photo: Rahul Nair/The Quint)

Shot Dead in Moving Train

Bhanushali was shot dead by unknown assailants between Kataria and Surbari stations.

“Bhanushali’s co-passenger (Pawan Mori) woke up after 1 am to use the bathroom. When he returned to the cabin he saw something amiss with Bhanusali and saw him lying in a pool of blood. Mori immediately informed the ticket collector, who informed the railway control room.”

Ashish Bhatia, DGP CID (Crime and Railways) to The Quint

The train at that time was traversing through Morbi-Rajkot and made an emergency stop at Maliya Miyana railway station, where the body was brought out of the compartment and the whole bogie was sealed. The train then reached Ahmedabad.

“We also recovered some empty bullet cases from the compartment and sent them for forensic examination. The railway police will file an FIR in connection with the incident,”

Karanraj Vaghela, District Superintendent of Police, Morbi  to PTI

‘Looks Like a Political Murder’

According to sources in the police department the police are hunting for two unidentified assailants who used muzzle suppressor (silencer). A panel post-mortem will be conducted at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

“The police are also interrogating fellow passengers in the train. The case is being investigated by the DySP of Railway Police. The train has reached Ahmedabad and the First Class compartment has been separated from the train. A team from FSL is currently at Ahmedabad railway station combing the crime scene. We cannot tell who are involved in the murder as of now. We are looking at CCTV footage available to us.”

Ashish Bhatia, DGP CID (Crime and Railways) to The Quint

The current Gujarat BJP Vice President IK Jadeja told The Quint, “A statement will be issued soon by state President Jitu Vaghani.”

“It looks like a political murder. What secrets did Jayanti Bhanushali carry to his grave? He knew all the political happenings in Kutch and was aware off the Naliya gang rape case which has several BJP members as accused. Besides this is the second BJP leader who was openly killed after Haren Pandya the former Gujarat Home Minister. Not to forget, Bhanushali was shot dead in the first class compartment of train and the government keeps harping about passengers’ protection.

Manish Doshi, Gujarat Congress Spokesperson to The Quint

Rape Charges Against Bhanushali

Bhanushali was in the news last year for allegedly raping a 21-year-old girl from Surat on multiple occasions. However, the Gujarat High Court quashed the rape case against Bhanushali on 7 August 2018, after accepting the complainant's affidavit seeking withdrawal of the complaint as she has ‘settled the issue amicably’ with him.

In his petition, Bhanushali had claimed that he was honey-trapped by a gang led by one Manisha Goswami, who is now behind bars. Goswami had earlier tried to extort money from Sunil Bhanushali his relative, but the latter approached the police and she was arrested, the petition said. To take revenge, the gang targeted him, the BJP leader had claimed in his plea.

(with inputs from PTI and ANI)