What began as a road accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri has now turned into a story of power, intimidation, and the resurfacing of a strongman legacy.
BJP MLA Pritam Lodhi who asked, “Does Karera belong to your ‘Daddy’?” while threatening police officers is now under scrutiny himself. The way he reacted after his son rammed a vehicle into five people has once again brought back his long-standing image in the region as a criminal strongman.
The incident took place on the morning of April 16, around 7:30 am. Dinesh Lodhi, son of BJP MLA from Pichhore, allegedly drove a speeding Thar SUV into five people right in front of the Karera police station. According to victims, what followed was equally shocking.
They claim that after the collision, he casually walked away to a gym about 500 meters away. When the police arrived, he allegedly told them, “Go away, I will handle the Station In-charge,” and even issued a chilling warning “My father is an MLA, he can even manage a murder case.”
The biggest twist, however, has been the dramatic U-turn by MLA Pritam Lodhi himself. Immediately after the incident, he spoke of accountability, saying “the public comes first” and claiming he had personally instructed police to register an FIR. But within days, the tone changed completely.
Now, the same MLA is openly threatening police officers.
Challenging IPS officer and Karera SDOP Ayush Jakhar, Lodhi said, “I want to tell the SDOP to look at our history as well.” The remark has drawn attention not just for its tone, but for what that “history” actually contains.
Because that history is documented.
According to his own election affidavit, Pritam Lodhi faces nine registered cases under around 28 sections of law, including serious charges under Sections 302 and 307 murder and attempt to murder. He has been an accused in three murder cases and was once subjected to a district externment order.
His confrontations with the police are not new. Nearly two decades ago, he was accused of storming the Hazira police outpost in Gwalior and assaulting police personnel, including then-in-charge Surendra Chauhan.
By 2012, as many as 34 cases had been registered against him, including charges of murder, attempted murder, rioting, conspiracy to commit dacoity, and assault. A few years ago, he was also arrested for allegedly sheltering inter-state criminal Harendra Rana.
Hailing from Jalalpur village in Gwalior, Lodhi has long carried a reputation in the region. Locals often say that whenever a major crime occurred in or around the area, the police would first look for him.
Politically, he once enjoyed proximity to senior BJP leader Uma Bharti and built his influence through local networks, including organising wrestling tournaments.
But controversy has remained a constant companion. In 2022, his derogatory remarks against Brahmins and religious preachers triggered protests, leading to his expulsion from the BJP. He was, however, re-inducted into the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
The shadow now extends to his son as well. Dinesh Lodhi’s record includes a 2023 case of criminal intimidation, a 2024 incident in Gwalior where he allegedly attempted to run over neighbours leading to jail and allegations of extortion involving crores of rupees.
In January last year, Pritam Lodhi had also stirred controversy by appointing “MLA representatives” in police stations across his constituency, an unprecedented move seen as interference in policing, which had to be rolled back after public outrage.
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